Senators brace for another government shutdown after spending talks stall
Key takeaways
- “I think my Democratic friends at the direction of Sen.
- That concern has grown on Capitol Hill after negotiations between Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen.
- Collins canceled a markup of four bills on Thursday, as Sen.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Republicans think Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is angling for another showdown over government funding right before the midterm election, just as he and other Democrats forced a big fight last year over the expiration of enhanced health insurance subsidies.
“I think my Democratic friends at the direction of Sen. Schumer are not going to agree to a top-line [spending number] and they’re not going to agree to vote for any appropriations bill, and Sen. Schumer is going to shut down government,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
That concern has grown on Capitol Hill after negotiations between Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations panel, stalled.