House rejects motion not to adjourn until government reopens

A resolution introduced by new House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) calling on the lower chamber not to adjourn until it reopens the government was rejected on the floor on Thursday. 

The motion to commit, which failed 197-232, came the same day Democrats regained control of the House. 

{mosads}On day 13 of the partial government shutdown, parties remain at an impasse over funding for President Trump’s border wall. The president says he won’t sign any funding bill that doesn’t provide adequate funding for border security.

House Democrats are slated to vote Thursday evening on a bill that would provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8 and a legislative package to the remaining government agencies through the end of the fiscal year. The Homeland stopgap would provide $1.3 billion in border security funding, a far lower number than Trump’s requested $5 billion. 

“The funding legislation introduced by Democrats has been flatly rejected by President Trump and the Senate,” a McCarthy spokeswoman said in a statement. “The message is simple: Let’s get the job done before you leave town.” 

Roughly a quarter of the federal government has remained unfunded since lawmakers allowed it to lapse on Dec. 21, before they left for their holiday recess. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) office has said they won’t bring up legislation the president won’t sign. 

“The House’s number-one priority is negotiating an end to the government shutdown,” McCarthy said in a statement. “Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer themselves have called on Congress to stay in session until the shutdown is over. But it seems the Democrats are more concerned with rhetoric than results.”