Friday, December 9, 2016

Alexander Bolton — Senate Dems hold out on spending deal, risking shutdown


Shoe now on the other foot.
Senate Democrats are holding out on backing a bill to keep the government funded through April 28, risking a government shutdown that would begin on Saturday.
Democrats may still back the funding measure, but a demand to extend miners’ health care coverage for a full year is holding up a deal.

The House easily approved the legislation Thursday afternoon, but without an agreement. the Senate can’t take an initial vote until Saturday at 1 a.m. Government funding is due to run out at the end of the day Friday.

Democratic objections are led by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who are both up for reelection in 2018 in states carried by President-elect Donald Trump.
They want to extend expiring healthcare benefits for retired coal miners for at least a year. The current bill would extend the benefits for retired miners for four months, to coincide with the expiration of broader government funding April 28.
“Everybody in the caucus is insisting on demanding those two things and working to get the Republicans to agree: Buy America and one year [of health benefits] for the miners,” Brown told reporters Tuesday....
The Hill

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