U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet this Monday with the Democratic leadership of Congress to try to avoid an imminent shutdown of the Federal Government as of Wednesday, after the president canceled a first dialogue with the opposition because he considered their demands unacceptable.
Trump’s appointment with Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also include Republican Majority Whip Sen. John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
White House asks Democrats to avoid shutdown
“The president is giving the Democratic leadership one last chance to be reasonable, to come to the White House today, try to have a dialogue about this.”
“This is not the time to try to score political points against Donald Trump,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Monday.
Leavitt insisted that “this is the time to do the right thing by the American people and keep the government funded” because a shutdown would affect “the most vulnerable.”
Congress has deadline to avoid shutdown
The U.S. Congress, which returns from recess tomorrow, has until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to pass a new federal budget or a temporary funding measure.
This is to avoid paralyzing the work of federal agencies considered non-essential.
On September 19, the Republicans presented a tentative budget that would keep the Administration open for another seven weeks.
But it was rejected in the Senate, where it needs at least seven Democratic votes for passage.
Clash over Obamacare and Medicaid halts agreement
Democrats are demanding an extension of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies that expire at the end of the year.
As well as the reversal of the cuts to the Medicaid program that resulted from the major budget and tax cuts bill passed last July.
Trump and his administration have blamed the opposition for hindering the negotiations.
The president has stated that he is not willing to give in and that he expects the Democrats to give in first.
Risk of closure and layoffs warned
“All we are asking for is a sensible, clean funding resolution to keep the government open,” the White House spokeswoman reiterated today.
Adding to the risk of a federal government shutdown is the possibility of massive layoffs of civil servants, according to a memo from the Office of Management and Budget.
This has directed agencies to identify programs classified as non-essential to continue their mission to reduce federal staff.
With information from EFE
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