Connect with us

Congress

Mike Johnson rebuffs Hakeem Jeffries’ request for a live shutdown debate

Published

on

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries challenged Speaker Mike Johnson to a floor debate on the government shutdown Monday as agencies remained closed into a second workweek.

“Given the urgency of the moment and the Republican refusal to negotiate a bipartisan agreement, a debate on the House Floor will provide the American people with the transparency they deserve,” Jeffries said in a letter sent Monday. “It will also give you an opportunity to explain your my way or the highway approach to shutting the government down, when Democratic votes are needed to resolve the impasse that exists.”

Johnson declined the offer at a news conference Monday, calling the offer “nonsense” and Jeffries “desperate” while arguing that the time to debate was when the House took up a seven-week continuing resolution late last month.

“I respect him, but we all know what he’s trying to do there,” Johnson said.

It’s not the first time Jeffries has tried to engage the speaker in a tete-a-tete. He similarly asked for a “one-on-one debate” with Johnson in April as the House GOP muscled through its party-line domestic policy megabill.

It’s set to be a quiet week in the House, with Johnson keeping the chamber in recess as Republicans try to pressure Senate Democrats to pass the House-approved seven-week CR. He told House Republicans on a private call over the weekend they would be given 48 hours notice if they needed to return to the Capitol. Jeffries, meanwhile, is set to host his members for a Monday evening online conference meeting but has not announced any plans to bring them back to Washington.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Congress

House Republicans huddle with Johnson to plot party-line package

Published

on

A large contingent of House Republicans — encompassing hard-liners, Budget Committee members, panel chairs and party leaders — piled into Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Thursday afternoon to discuss a second party-line package, according to four people granted anonymity to share details of the private meeting.

Among the lawmakers attending were Budget Chair Jodey Arrington of Texas and Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, also of Texas.

Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tom McClintock of California and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma were also on hand, alongside Pennsylvania Reps. Lloyd Smucker and Scott Perry.

“We’re definitely preparing to move forward,” Johnson said in an interview as he left the meeting, regarding the House GOP Conference’s plans to pursue another bill through the filibuster-skirting budget reconciliation process. “We’re talking about more details. Lots of work going on.”

One of the biggest issues members are trying to work through at the moment is how to close the wide gap between Republicans in the House and Senate. Most House Republicans want a more expansive bill with myriad conservative policy priorities to ride alongside war and defense funding, while the Senate GOP is largely pushing for a more narrowly-focused measure, according to the four people.

Continue Reading

Congress

Senate rejects voter ID

Published

on

Senate Democrats rejected a GOP photo ID amendment Thursday, an issue that Republicans are eager to use as a cudgel in the midterms.

Senators voted 53-47 on the amendment from Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, which needed 60 votes to advance. Republicans wanted to add the language to their election bill, known as the SAVE America Act.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the amendment “would impose the single strictest voter ID law in America.”

“Stricter than Texas. Stricter than Florida. Stricter than any state in the country,” he said.

Continue Reading

Congress

John Thune says he’s aiming to land DHS deal Thursday

Published

on

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wants to clinch a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security funding agreement Thursday.

“I think the Dems are now in possession of what I think is our last and final” offer, Thune told reporters. “So let’s hope this gets it done.”

“We’re going to know soon,” he added.

The South Dakota Republican declined to discuss details of the offer but suggested it was similar to where the discussions were headed over the weekend. GOP senators then were looking at a bipartisan deal that would fund most of DHS but leave out funding for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

That offer was rejected by Democrats. But two people granted anonymity to discuss the revised proposal said it, too, omitted only ERO money but included additional language to try to address some of Democrats’ concerns.

Spokespeople for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Senate is expected to vote again on the House-passed DHS bill Thursday afternoon. The House is also voting again on DHS funding Thursday and is planning to leave town Friday morning for a two-week holiday recess. Progress in the Senate could prompt House GOP leaders to stay in session in hopes of sending a bill to President Donald Trump.

Asked about the Senate vote, Thune said he hoped there would be “some finality in this real soon.”

Continue Reading

Trending