Democrats block six-bill funding package as D.H.S. talks with Trump continue
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a six-bill spending package needed to keep the government open past a Friday midnight deadline, voting 45 to 55 to fall short of the 60 votes required to open debate as they negotiated with President Trump over restrictions on immigration enforcement, the Senate majority leader said.
The package includes $64.4 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and funding for the Pentagon and health programs. Democrats demanded that the homeland security measure be separated from the package after Alex Pretti became the second American citizen to be fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis, and they held to their pledge to oppose the full package.
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York began negotiations with President Trump late Wednesday, according to two officials familiar with the talks who described them on the condition of anonymity. Under a tentative framework discussed, the DHS funding measure would be broken off for further negotiation while the other five bills would be approved to fund the bulk of the government for the rest of the fiscal year.
Lawmakers said one sticking point is the length of a stopgap bill to fund Homeland Security at current levels: Democrats pushed for a maximum of two weeks, Republicans apparently want a longer period, and Democrats said they do not want to prolong negotiations. Senator Schumer said, "This is a moment of truth," and later called for an end to what he called a violent status quo.
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