White House finds ‘solace’ in GOP efforts to prevent shutdown

The White House said Monday it takes congressional Republicans at their word that they will work toward a spending deal and preventing a government shutdown next month.

Press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) “steadfast commitment to ensuring that doesn’t happen is something we take some solace in.”

{mosads}And House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) “doesn’t want to preside over a government shutdown six weeks into his tenure,” Earnest said.

Lawmakers face a Dec. 11 deadline for funding the government, and Republicans have a wish list of policies they hope to attach to those spending bills, such as a halt to Syrian refugees and to government spending on Planned Parenthood.

Democrats oppose both efforts and have warned that conservatives risk shutting down the government they insist on ending funding where they see fit.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Monday that lawmakers won’t shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding, especially given new debates over national security.

“I do not hear people shutting the government down over it right now,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday when asked about Planned Parenthood. “I think security is becoming the top issue, especially [in] the last two weeks.”

Obama said earlier this year that he wouldn’t sign another short-term spending bill, instead pushing Congress to institute a broad funding bill and neutralize another big spending fight before the end of his term in office.

Congress passed a budget framework earlier this fall, and, given that, White House officials said Monday, they expect lawmakers to avoid next month the second government shutdown since 2013.

“To the credit of both [Republican leaders], they did work earlier this fall, in an effective bipartisan fashion, in reaching a bipartisan agreement on the budget toplines,” Earnest said.