Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on the Senate floor Monday his plans to end the Democratic filibuster over a short-term federal funding bill, effectively reopening the national government following a three-day shutdown.
Sources familiar with the new agreement say Democrats secured a verbal commitment from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell there will be an upcoming up-or-down vote on DACA and other immigration reform issues.
“I don’t think this is the right way to get policy outcomes is to shut the government down. When we tried it, it didn’t work well for us,” said GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham with colleagues Susan Collins and Jeff Flake.
“Here’s what I predict. Once we start talking about immigration and voting on immigration, we’ll find 60 votes to make sure these DACA recipients’ lives are not ruined by March 5,” he added.
President Trump and Republican leadership routinely labeled the short-term government closure the “Schumer Shutdown” over the Minority Leader’s insistence that DACA legislation be included in a federal spending bill.
“The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!” tweeted the President earlier Monday.