“The very first step is ending the government shutdown,” he said.
— Thomas Kaplan
Democrats: McConnell’s word isn’t good enough.
Moderate Senate Democrats Monday morning were seeking a firmer commitment from Mr. McConnell that the Senate would move to address the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, in the coming weeks.
The Democrats were part of a bipartisan group of more than 20 senators working throughout the weekend to forge a compromise to reopen the government. Mr. McConnell signaled Sunday night that he was listening to their demands, saying from the Senate floor that he intended to move ahead with immigration legislation in February if the issue had not been resolved by then.
But on Monday, Democrats wanted more in exchange for the votes to end the shutdown.
“Well I think the first thing he needs to do is strengthen his statement from last night,” said Senator Angus King of Maine, an independent who votes with the Democrats. “ ‘I intend.’ I would much rather he say, ‘I commit’ or ‘I will move.’”
As senators from the group shuffled in and out of leadership offices, Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona and another member of the group, expressed optimism that such a public statement by Mr. McConnell would be enough to win over enough Democrats to vote to end the shutdown. Some Democrats called on Mr. McConnell to delay a procedural vote schedule for noon.
The crux issue, it seemed, was whether the majority leader could be trusted to keep his word. Democrats have not forgiven Mr. McConnell for blocking the Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland for almost a year pending the election of a Republican to the White House. And Mr. McConnell’s promises to Republican Senators Flake and Susan Collins of Maine for votes on health care and immigration in exchange for their support of the tax cut have yet to materialize.
How much of the issue is that mistrust?
“Uh, most of it,” said Senator Joseph Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia.
— Nicholas Fandos
The math ahead of the vote.
Four Republicans opposed legislation Friday night to keep the federal government open, but two have now said they will vote to reopen it. Senator McConnell also voted against the bill but for procedural reasons — by voting no, he can bring the bill back up for reconsideration, under Senate rules.
With Republican Senators Flake and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina now “yes” votes, Republicans need seven Democrats to switch from “no” to “yes.” Look to some of the “no” voters now involved in bipartisan negotiations, such as Mr. King and Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, as well as the four Democrats who represent Maryland and Virginia, hard hit by shutdowns: Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
The White House comment line has an attitude.
On Monday morning, a telephone call to the White House comment line reminded callers that the federal government was shutdown and offered the Trump administration’s explanation for why: “Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today because congressional Democrats are holding government funding for our troops and other national security priorities hostage to an unrelated immigration debate,” a recording said. “Due to this obstruction the government is shut down.”
Setting aside the partisan nature of the call, its message is only half true, if that. Most of the government is functioning, at least for now. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission say they have enough money in the pipeline to operate normally. The White House ordered the National Parks to stay open, depriving the media of the most obvious signs of dysfunction.
Even Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with the Trump campaign, is still in action. He has declared his investigators “essential employees.”
— Eileen Sullivan
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