Rust Belt Democrats threaten government shutdown

WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives easily passed a short-term spending package today to fund the federal government through April, but a Democratic blockade in the Senate may complicate its passage.

House lawmakers exchanged high fives and handshakes as vote tallies started to trickle in. In its final vote of the year, the body passed the continuing resolution 326-96. The bill will fund operations at federal agencies, programs, and services through April 28, 2017, with a spending cap of $1.07 trillion. Lawmakers quickly shuffled out of the House chamber as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., took the podium to tell them their holiday break had officially begun.

“You need to get your rest because in the House we will be working to make America great again,” McCarthy said.

But the resolution still needs to clear the Senate to avoid a government shutdown. Several Democrats from Rust Belt states have threatened to filibuster if coal miner healthcare benefits included in the package don’t get extended from four months to a full year.

When the resolution’s full language came to light late Tuesday night, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., immediately cried foul. More than 16,000 retired coal miners could lose healthcare by Dec. 31, 2016, without congressional action, and they said the $45 million provision was not enough.

Manchin and Brown held a special meeting with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to develop a strategy, but have yet to decide on how to reconcile differences with Republicans.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., indicated she would oppose the spending package because of the coal miners’ concerns.

“They don't have the votes,” Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico. “It’s just a question of how much they want to drag it out. Right now, sounds like a lot.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., scheduled the vote for tomorrow. Manchin, Brown, and Donnelly will need support from more Democrats if they are going to delay it. Both sides of the aisle want a permanent solution to coal miner healthcare, but Democrats will need to decide if they want to trust assurances from McConnell that the chamber will find a solution in the new Congress.

During House debate over the resolution, House Appropriations Committee chairman Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., said he did not expect a government shutdown, but he would be ready to resolve the issue quickly if the Senate muddles the legislation with an amendment.

The government runs out of funding at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. If enough Democrats forced an amendment to the legislation, the House could draft a three-day spending bill to keep the government open until a Monday vote. Or the House could vote with unanimous consent over the weekend, and the Senate could vote on a new version Saturday.

In a statement unveiling the resolution Tuesday, Rogers said the bill “does not include controversial riders or major changes in existing federal policy.”

House Democrats found areas of concern. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said she voted against the bill because it did not provide enough funding for residents of Flint, Mich., dealing with the effects of lead-tainted water and it included a waiver for the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, retired Gen. James Mattis. Mattis retired three years ago, but law requires the defense secretary to be at least seven years removed from military service. Jackson Lee said there has not been an exception to the rule in 66 years, and the decision deserves more consideration.

House lawmakers agreed to meet for a pro forma session Monday in case the Senate doesn’t pass the continuing resolution before the deadline.