WASHINGTON — Democrats have lost faith in a bipartisan agreement to fund the government ahead of next week’s deadline, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., says. But that’s Democrats’ own fault, Republicans will argue.
After a meeting between President Donald Trump and top congressional leaders was canceled this week, trust is wearing thin between the two parties in Congress as the government shutdown deadline looms. Democrats and Republicans have continued to point their fingers at the other while seemingly making no effort to schedule negotiations.
“We will work together, sit down, meet anytime, anyplace, with anyone, in order to avoid a Republican-caused government shutdown and in order to decisively address the Republican health care crisis that is devastating the people of the United States of America,” Jeffries said from the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday.
While Jeffries said he would make himself available to Republican leaders for talks, the Democratic leader told reporters he hasn’t spoken to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., about government funding since last week. And even then, they “had no discussion about substance.”
House Republicans have already passed their version of a stopgap bill to extend current funding levels until mid-November, but the proposal will require Democratic support in the Senate — something that has yet to materialize. Instead, Democrats are asking for more in return: to reverse health care cuts approved in Trump’s tax package this summer and to permanently extend Obamacare tax credits.
Those demands have been ruled as a nonstarter in this round of spending talks, Republicans say — instead suggesting negotiations on the ACA tax credits should wait until later this year. But that’s not enough for Democrats, who say they cannot trust the Trump administration to allocate government funding the way that Congress dictates.
“I have a very forward-looking, positive and communicative relationship with Speaker Mike Johnson,” Jeffries said. “But there’s no trust that exists between House Democrats and House Republicans at this particular point in time, given the fact that they consistently tried to undermine bipartisan agreements that they themselves have reached.”
As a result, Democrats will refuse any agreement to figure out health care legislation later — noting a deal “has to be ironclad and in legislation.” In other words: A handshake agreement won’t do.
Republicans have pushed back on those characterizations, claiming Democrats are politicizing the process to insert unrelated policy demands in a must-pass bill. Republicans have also argued Democrats are the ones who have abandoned negotiations entirely — which, they argue, is evidence that the minority party wants a shutdown.
“They must do their job! Otherwise, it’ll be just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court. I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!”
Senators are not expected to return until Sept. 29, although negotiations could continue during the recess period. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters last week he would be open to discussion, but argued, “Democrats seem more intent in satisfying their very leftist base, who is desperately wanting to see a government shutdown.”
The government is scheduled to shut down at midnight on Oct. 1.