Bill to stop shutdown sputters ahead of deadline

The Big Story 

A midnight deadline to avert a partial government shutdown is getting too close for comfort for Republicans and Democrats, as a major funding package runs into delays in the Senate.

© Allison Robbert

Absent unanimous consent or an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Republicans, the upper chamber might not be able to vote on final passage before Saturday — after the government shutdown deadline, but before many effects of a shutdown are felt.

The Senate voted 63-35 on Friday to clear a procedural hurdle setting up final passage for the package, but disagreements between the two sides threaten to delay final passage beyond midnight. Thirty-four Republicans voted against advancing the measure.

“It’s gotten a little complicated, unfortunately,” Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican in the upper chamber, told reporters while discussing the path forward for the funding package on Friday afternoon. 

Conservatives — including GOP Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Ted Budd (N.C.) and Rick Scott (Fla.) — are demanding several amendment votes.

Budd detailed an amendment he’s pushing for that he said targets undocumented immigrants that committed a crime. 

“That is if you assault a law enforcement officer and you’re here illegally, then it clarifies judicial discretion and says that it says that you will be deported,” he said. 

Lee also pointed to another amendment he said Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) offered, which would exclude undocumented immigrants from the official U.S. Census apportionment count.

“That would simply say that, for purposes of the congressional apportionment count of the census required by Article One of the Constitution, that the apportionment count must not include persons here unlawfully illegal aliens shouldn’t be included in the apportionment count,” Lee said. 

None of the amendments were expected to pass the Democratic-led Senate, but come as conservatives have been up in arms over the size of the funding plan, which passed the House in a bipartisan vote earlier this week.

The Hill’s Aris Folley has more here.

Essential Reads 

Key business and economic news with implications this week and beyond:

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The Ticker 

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the February consumer price index (CPI) on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.

In Other News 

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Good to Know 

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