Trump tells Democrats no meeting over shutdown until government reopens
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US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (right) speaking to reporters, as Senate Democratic leaders hold a press conference, on Oct 21.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Oct 21 rebuffed a request by top Democratic lawmakers to meet until the three-week-old US government shutdown
“I would like to meet with both of them, but I said one little caveat, I will only meet if they let the country open,” Mr Trump told reporters, referencing the request by US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to meet “anytime, any place”.
All but three senators in the Democratic caucus are withholding their support for the Republican-led stopgap funding bill, unless Mr Trump and enough Republican lawmakers agree to an extension of an enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credit that is due to expire on Dec 31.
Without an ACA extension, millions of Americans are girding for significant increases in their healthcare premiums, which Democrats have called “a healthcare crisis”.
Meanwhile, Republicans who control Congress have begun talking about possible next steps in what has been a stalemate with Democrats who are withholding their support from a temporary funding bill until they win an extension of a healthcare subsidy.
Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee that oversees federal spending, on Oct 21 told reporters that Republicans will likely need to extend their stopgap bill to reopen the government and fund operations beyond its Nov 21 end-date.
“There’s a realisation that we’re going to have to have an extension because we’ve wasted all these weeks,” the Maine Republican said, noting she does not want to see stopgap funding go into 2026.
Her remarks follow those of Senate Majority Leader John Thune late on Oct 20 acknowledging that more time would be needed to finish the 12 annual spending bills that fund Washington’s “discretionary” programmes.
Mr Thune needs the support of a handful of Senate Democrats in order to win passage of the temporary funding bill approved by the House of Representatives last month. Republicans have a narrow, 53-47 majority in the 100-member Senate, with 60 votes needed to advance most bills.
Thousands of federal workers have been furloughed as federal agencies pared their activities beginning on Oct 1, the start of the new fiscal year. Simultaneously, previous-year funding expired on about US$1.7 trillion (S$2.21 trillion) in funds for agency operations, which amounts to about one-quarter of annual federal spending.
Mr Trump huddled with Republican senators at midday on Oct 21 but they did not discuss an ACA extension, according to Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who attended the get-together. Republicans want to kick such talks towards the end of the year. REUTERS
