“Moderates” try to forge deal but hardliners in White House and GOP stand in way

Developments on Day 367 of the Trump Administration:

Effort to Break Impasse After Hardline Republicans Blocked Deal

Donald Trump is sidelined as “moderate” legislators from both the Republican and Democratic Parties try to end the shutdown of the Federal Government.

Talks will continue on Monday after a vote, scheduled for 1 am, was postponed to allow for more discussions. It is now scheduled for noon.

The outline of a deal is for another three weeks of Government funding — necessary because the Trump Administration has not presented a budget for final approval after more than a year — in return for meaningful consideration of a bill over immigration, including the status of almost 800,000 “Dreamers” who are under threat of deportation.

On Friday, Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer discussed an interim resolution, hours before the expiry of supplemental funding, for an extension of up to four days in return for consideration of the immigration bill. However, hardline Republicans objected when approached by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, saying there were too many concessions to the Democrats, and Kelly told Schumer that the deal was off.

Since then, Trump has been to the side, tweeting and watching TV while GOP and Democratic leaders fenced over blame for the shutdown and a bipartisan group of about 20 Senators tried to find a way forward.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, a GOP hardliner, said Minority Leader Schumer agreed to push back the 1 am vote so Democrats would have “a chance to chew” on a Republican proposal: “It’s better to have a successful vote tomorrow at noon than a failed vote tonight.”

But Democratic aides indicated Cornyn was trying to back them into a corner, saying Republicans need to make significant changes or the vote will still be No at noon.

GOP Senator Jeff Flake, one of the “moderates” seeking a compromise, said the group will make at 10 am. He said he hoped six or seven more moderate Democrats will support a continuing resolution, which needs 60 votes for passage. Flake summarized that the Democrats still want “something tangible” on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — the 2012 order that allows Dreamers to study and work in the US — but it is problematic because a final settlement might not occur before a new funding deadline of February 8.

However, Flake said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is no longer requiring the White House — where hardline advisor Stephen Miller has been blocking any move to a compromise bill — to sign off before legislation is considered.

“For the first time, we have the Majority Leader move off of we can only move something if the President agrees,” Flake told reporters.

Meanwhile, Trump declared on Twitter that McConnell should invoke a “nuclear option”, in which only 51 votes rather than 60 would be needed to end debate and move to a decision on the Senate floor.

Republicans have a 51-49 majority in the chamber. On Friday, five Republicans and 45 Democrats voted against the supplemental funding proposal.