Working against a midnight Friday deadline, Democrats and Republicans are coming together on a massive $1.3 trillion spending bill to avert a government shutdown, although they’re punting on some of the more contentious issues, including a solution for the fate of some 700,000 DACA recipients – undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
As snow blanketed Capitol Hill Wednesday morning, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Nancy Pelosi emerged from a meeting of the so-called “Big Four” congressional leaders in the House Speaker Paul Ryan‘s office, signaling they’ve reached a deal in principle with Republicans, although they’re still finalizing legislative text.
“We had a very, very good meeting and we hope that everything will be done,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “There’s some language that has to be gone over in a few areas but we hope to be ready to go in a few hours” while Pelosi said negotiators have “made good progress.”
Ryan likewise told reporters the leaders had a “good meeting” while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said appropriators are heading “toward a conclusion” and “is currently being finalized.”
Pelosi signaled rank-and-file House Democrats would vote for the compromise.
“I want to commend our staff, the staff of both House, Senate, and the Republicans as well for dealing expeditiously with some of the differences, resolving some, putting some aside for another day,” Pelosi, D-Calif., said. “And I think we’re going to present something to our members that they can comfortably support.”
The deal funds government programs for the remaining fiscal year 2018, including $629 billion in defense spending and non-defense discretionary funding at a pace of $579 billion. An additional $92 billion is set aside for emergencies.
Current government funding lapses on Friday night at 11:59:59 p.m.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are tight-lipped about the details, although aides say the package also includes the “Fix NICS” gun purchase legislation to give states and federal agencies incentives to enter data into the National Instant Background Check System.
But a solution for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients must wait for another day, sources say, leaving the futures of hundreds of thousands of people hanging in the balance.
“Republicans refused to address DACA in a manner that Democrats could support,” a Democratic aide noted.
Nevertheless, the Democratic leaders expect broad bipartisan support in a vote later this week.
“We’re feeling very good about this. We’ve accomplished many, many, many of our goals,” Schumer added. “When it’s unveiled, you will see them. We’re not getting into any more details.”
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise plans to whip during the first series of votes following the text being available, according to a senior GOP leadership aide. As of noon Wednesday, the text still had not been posted online for members to review.
The deal requires bipartisan buy-in from all four corners of Congress, though congressional leaders did not craft the bill to win over support from the most conservative and progressive wings of their respective parties. Freedom Caucus conservatives, for example, have expressed a principled concern over the $1.3 trillion price tag, while some Democrats are expected to attribute their opposition to a lack of a solution on DACA.
But the bill should not require their support for passage.
The White House has been engaged in the negotiations but has not yet weighed in on the president’s position on the expected agreement.
