Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Bipartisan senate group breaks impasse

By early Monday afternoon, a bipartisan group of moderate Republicans and Democrats apparently was able to come up with a compromise that will allow the government to reopen, in exchange for a commitment by Republicans to debate and vote, by mid-February, on a resolution of the status of the Dreamer and DACA kids.

Not everyone is happy with this.   Progressives feel that they really got nothing but promises they can't trust.   The Freedom Caucus in the House will resist anything that has to do with pathways to citizenship, which they derisively refer to as "amnesty."

Some of the senators involved in the negotiating group, however, speak about restoring old-fashioned trust among the group.   Nevertheless, the Senate voted, 81 to 18 to end the filibuster, pass a temporary spending bill though Feb. 8th, and to reauthorize the Children's Health (CHIP) fund.

Later the House voted to pass the same bill with a sizable, bipartisan majority.  So, assuming Trump doesn't flip again, the government will be open again tomorrow.  At least the Democrats got this:  it's the first time they will have had a date-certain commitment from Republican leaders for debate and a vote on the DACA program.

Ralph

PS:   Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Murkowski, Jeff Flake, Chris Coons, Tim Kaine, Joe Manchin and some 20+ others were involved in the informal negotiations.

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