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Unless Wednesday’s meeting between Individual 1, incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer goes much better than can possibly be expected, House Democrats will make votes to reopen government the top priority when the new Congress convenes Thursday.
The plan as of now is two bills, one that includes six already agreed-upon bipartisan funding measures for all of the agencies now shut down except Homeland Security. The second bill would extend homeland security funding until February 8 that includes $1.3 billion for border security other than a wall. This is almost exactly what the Senate unanimously agreed to do back on December 19, and what Individual 1 had agreed to before the Freedom Caucus maniacs got to him.
A joint statement from Pelosi and Schumer, whose Senate Democrats have supported the plan, makes the obvious point: "If Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans refuse to support the first bill, then they are complicit with President Trump in continuing the Trump shutdown and in holding the health and safety of the American people and workers' paychecks hostage over the wall, […] the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism."
McConnell could end this by taking the vote and proving to Trump that he can’t have his $5 billion for the wall because Congress won’t do it. Trump's already claimed the shutdown as his. This vote in the House, which McConnell won't take up because he says he won't bring up anything Trump won't sign, will make sure that McConnell's Republican Senate owns it, too.