Senate scrambles to save funding deal as US govt shutdown looms

Senate leaders were scrambling on Friday to save a bipartisan spending deal and prevent a partial govt shutdown this weekend as some Republicans pushed back on a rare deal between President Trump and Democrats.

Democrats who are demanding new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country struck an agreement with Trump on Thursday to separate funding for the department of homeland security from a broad govt spending bill and give Congress two weeks to debate the issue. That agreement came after Democrats threatened to block the entire spending bill and trigger a shutdown in the wake of the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis.




Trump said he didn’t want a shutdown and encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.” But passage of the deal was delayed as some senators pushed back, warning Republicans should not give away too much leverage on the border issue. Senator Lindsey Graham said he would hold up the deal unless Republican leaders gave him a vote on his bill preventing local govts from resisting immigration policies.

Graham has also opposed House language repealing a new law that gives senators the ability to sue govt if their data is accessed without their knowledge. Senate majority leader John Thune said there were “snags on both sides” as he and Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tried to work through any objections. Schumer said Friday “time is of the essence” and “abuses of ICE have to come to an end”.

Even if the Senate passes the funding measure, it would need House approval before becoming law. The House is not expected to return until Monday, raising the possibility of at least a temporary partial shutdown.