Thursday’s 45-55 test vote came as Democrats have threatened a partial government shutdown when money runs out on Friday. But Trump said just ahead of the vote that “we don’t want a shutdown” and the two sides were discussing a possible agreement to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund it for a short time.
Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer has pushed Republicans and the White House to strip the Homeland Security funding from the rest of the bill, which includes money for the Defense Department and other agencies. In the deal under discussion, Homeland Security would still be funded but for a short time to allow for negotiations on the Democrats' demands. Other agencies included in the bill would be funded through the end of September.
Still, with no agreement and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies, a dispute that closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk and find agreement.
“We’re getting closer,” the GOP leader said on the Senate floor Thursday morning.
Kicking off a Cabinet meeting, Trump said his administration is speaking with congressional Democrats.
“We’re working on that right now,” Trump said while declining to go into specifics. He added: “We don’t want a shutdown.”
