Senate

Republicans divided over shorter stopgap funding bill

by Jordain Carney - 01/19/18 5:18 PM ET

A push to pass a shorter stopgap funding bill is dividing Senate Republicans as Congress barrels toward a government shutdown.

Some rank-and-file members are throwing their support behind a days-long or potentially up to two-week continuing resolution (CR), arguing negotiators are close to an agreement but need more time.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) described lawmakers as on the “10-yard line” on a range of issues — including immigration, budget caps and a package of health-care bills — that could be resolved in a “short period of time.”

“Probably be longer than four days and not as long as 30 days,” he said, describing the amount of time he thinks negotiators need, after being asked if he would support a shorter funding bill.

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Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told reporters that she is pitching a two-week stopgap bill to fund the government past Friday at midnight, when it is currently set to shut down.

The Friday comments come after Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) pitched a days-long CR both at the Wednesday GOP lunch and publicly to reporters Thursday. GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.) have also backed the idea.

Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, told reporters the administration wants a four-week continuing resolution.

The House passed a four-week bill Thursday, funding the government through mid-February. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) floated a days-long “very short-term” bill on the Senate floor Thursday night.

But GOP leadership has yet to publicly support the idea, arguing there is one offer on the table — the House bill — and Democrats can either support it or decide to shut down the government.

“You know the only proposal out there is the one that the Democrats are going to have a chance to vote on, which is one month. I think they’re feeling a little nervousness because they’ve kind of gotten out over their skis,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said when asked about Murkowski’s proposal.

Asked if Republicans were opposed to any continuing resolution aside from a month-long plan, he added “that’s the only thing we have to vote on right now.”

Pressed separately about a days-long continuing resolution, Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 3 Republican, said “I just don’t know what that gets. … I think there’s too many moving parts here.”

Asked about a two-week CR, Thune asked, “Has that been offered?”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a key ally of Trump’s in the Senate, also downplayed the need for a back up CR proposal, arguing the House bill would have the votes on final passage.

“How is it logical to go from a 30-day CR to a 10-day CR or a four-day CR?” he asked. “I support what the House passed yesterday.”

Instead, Senate Republicans are expected to press forward with the House bill. They’ll need 60 votes to end debate on the bill. With most Democrats, and a group of Republicans, opposed they are expected to fall short.

What happens if that bill fails remains unclear.

Asked as he was leaving the lunch if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was preparing a shorter funding bill, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said they weren’t there yet but signaled they were moving closer.

“I think the reality is that you can’t get anything done in a real short period of time, but I think there’s probably some thought that there’s got to be some middle ground,” he said.