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President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of a government shutdown occurring this week should the Republican majority House of Representatives fail to get enough votes to pass a temporary funding bill and avoid a shutdown.
The president said a shutdown “could happen” when asked by a reporter if the government would run out of funding without a measure in place by March 14. However, he expressed optimism that his party would find enough votes to keep the government running.
“It could happen. It shouldn’t have happened, and it probably won’t. I think the [continuing resolution] is going to get passed,” Trump said on Sunday. “We’ll see.”
The House has until Friday to pass a temporary funding bill, called a continuing resolution or CR, that would keep the government running through September.
Without a continuing resolution, the federal government would effectively close without funding. Essential personnel and services would remain, but many would be out of work and offices shuttered until funding is in place.
Republicans have already introduced the six-month stopgap bill and plan to hold a vote Tuesday. The bill largely would keep funding as it was set by former president Joe Biden – rather than take on suggestions made by the appropriations committee.
However, it does propose increasing defense spending and providing additional funding to veterans’ health care just as the Trump administration let go of tens of thousands of workers in the Veterans Affairs Department.
While Trump expressed some confidence that the bill could pass, there’s no certainty it will.
Several hardline Republicans have issued statements indicating they plan to hold out on the proposed bill, disagreeing with some of its suggestions. While in the past, Democrats have joined their Republican colleagues to get stopgap bills passed, it’s unlikely they’ll come to the rescue this time around.
Democrat leaders in the House, such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have said the liberal party intends to vote “no” on the continuing resolution. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez placed the onus on Republicans to acquire enough votes in their own party to pass it.
Over the weekend, the president encouraged Republicans in the House and Senate to vote “yes” to the continuing resolution, calling it a “very good funding bill.”
“The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding bill (“CR”)! All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country’s ‘financial house’ in order,” Trump added.
The president blamed Democrats for wanting to shut down the government.
Source: independent.co.uk
