Thune on board for shutdown solution that would pass appropriations bills one by one
from www.washingtonexaminer.com
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is eying a proposal to end the government shutdown as the gridlock in Washington, D.C., enters its ninth day.
Thune is “ready” to use Congress’s appropriations process to open the government. It’s an arduous process lawmakers seek to use every year to pass 12 sweeping appropriations bills that provide government funding to different priorities, including defense, education, and healthcare.
Under Thune’s plan, he could wield his power as majority leader to bring a single appropriation bill to the floor one at a time if it has already been passed by the House, such as the defense package, according to Axios.
“We’re prepared to do that,” Thune told the outlet. “[But] that takes consent. We got to find out if the Dems are going to let us do anything while the government is shut down.”
Key Senate Democrats signaled they were on board with the idea, but argued it wouldn’t substantially change anything in terms of the government shutdown.
“There’s nothing holding [Thune] back from doing that,” Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) said. “[But] that does not change where we are right now in the CR….we still have to negotiate with the House. The President has to sign it, so it’s a long way from anywhere.”
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