Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and ... Joe Manchin threaten government shutdown over vaccine mandates
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House and Senate negotiators have moved closer to averting a government shutdown at midnight Friday—close enough that the House will vote Thursday on the continuing resolution. The agreement between House and Senate appropriators will extend fundiTed Cruz, Mike Lee, and ... Joe Manchin threaten government shutdown over vaccine mandates
House and Senate negotiators have moved closer to averting a government shutdown at midnight Friday—close enough that the House will vote Thursday on the continuing resolution. The agreement between House and Senate appropriators will extend funding until Feb. 18. That’s a minor win for Republicans who want to deny President Joe Biden and majority Democrats the ability to spend money on the programs they prioritize, forcing them to continue to operate on 2021’s budget, approved in 2020 and therefore a “Trump budget.” The problem is the Senate, where at least some Republicans—Utah’s Mike Lee and of course Texas’ Ted Cruz—are still trying to force a shutdown over vaccine mandates. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro announced the agreement with Senate appropriators Thursday morning, saying it “includes virtually no changes to existing funding or policy,” but does include $7 billion for resettling Afghanistan refugees. As to the Feb. 18 deadline, she said: “While I wish it were earlier, this agreement allows the appropriations process to move forward toward a final funding agreement which addresses the needs of the American people.” Read more