The House of Representatives Thursday approved a bill that would fund most of the federal government through early February – and provides $5.7 billion for President Trump’s long-promised border wall, increasing the chances of a partial government shutdown later this week.
Too bad this doesn’t have a chance making it through the Senate. A lot of the Senators have already left Washington, DC and headed home to enjoy their Christmas while millions of Americans are still at risk.
The senate has not adjourned for The Christmas Break so they can most certainly be called back.
Posted Dec 20, 2018 10:55 PM
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is advocating for changing the rules to pass a bill funding the border wall for President Donald Trump. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
When senators make their way back to the Capitol Friday to go back to the drawing board on government funding, there are sure to be some calls to change the rules to help get President Donald Trump the border wall.
Maybe even from Trump himself.
Sen. Steve Daines, a member of the Appropriations Committee, is floating using the “nuclear option” to effectively change the Senate’s rules to make it easier to agree to the latest House-passed spending bill that provides in excess of $5 billion in funds for the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“House just passed a bill that fully funds government and enables @realDonaldTrump to secure our border/build the wall,” the Montana Republican tweeted. “Senate can do same by eliminating the filibuster. 51 votes, same as we do for judges!”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has long said the support does not exist for extending the simple-majority threshold to limit debate to the legislative calendar, and back in January a senior Senate GOP aide said the votes did not exist within the Republican Conference for such a move.
Senators are expected back in town for possible votes Friday afternoon, hours ahead of a government funding deadline with what seems to once again be an inevitable lapse in funding.
There is no reason to think that has changed, especially with Democrats about to take over control of the House of Representatives.
The “nuclear option” is so named because it involves having a majority of senators change Senate precedents in order to effectively change the rules without the two-thirds that would be required to invoke cloture on changes to the standing rules themselves.
Even though it is beyond a long shot, President Donald Trump himself has pushed for the setting of a simple-majority threshold, and there should be every expectation that he could again on Friday.
I think it might actually get through the Senate. Pelosi said it wouldn’t get through the House and it did so it’s time to put on my “Slightly more optimistic than usual” hat again.
They’ll have to go for the nuclear option most likely but I’d say there’s a good chance of it passing if they do.
Much of the disgust that led to the whupping the republicans took last month at the polls was due to the stalemating of Trump’s agenda.
Time for the RINO’s to choose a side ! 
Guess she will have to take the jet home to sulk after her victory dance.
I don’t believe Mitch McConnell will change the rules of the Senate to pass this spending bill he didn’t change the rules to pass the barbaric 20 week abortion ban and he’ll burn in hell for that so I don’t see him changing it for this bill either
You are correct. He won’t go nuclear. Expect the government to shut down.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422471-mcconnell-rejects-using-nuclear-option-on-wall
I think if it’s played right Trump should receive propaganda victory with a goverment shut down, as long as he doesn’t over play his hand and repugs get weak knees.
If propaganda doesn’t get the wall built then I don’t think it’s really a victory.
I’m a Browns fan, we know all about moral victories. 
It will take more than the RINOs vote. It will also take 9 Democrats to see the light.
If it had failed in the House it would be a Trump shut-down. Now, if it fails in the Senate, the Democrats own it.
Might have had a better chance of sticking this on the Dems if Trump hadn’t repeatedly said he would be proud to own it. Perception matters.
Perception is what you choose it to be. My perception is that if the Senate Democrats filibuster the bill passed by the House, they own the shut down.
I am seeing on MSN that there is supposedly a compromise agreement (on process, not the Bill) in the Senate that will avoid the shut down … if the House agrees.
The U.S. House of Representatives adjourned just before 7 p.m. on Friday night (0000 GMT on Saturday), leaving the Capitol before approving government funding and thereby ensuring a government shutdown.
The House is set to return from recess at noon on Saturday.
The failure by the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump to agree to a government spending bill by midnight will shutdown several federal agencies.
Personally repugs should all just go home. 
Atrention Senators: Throw away the filibuster. Or make em stand there and read the phone book if you arnt going to get rid of it.
Let the DEMS keep the filibuster going so that the government closes. Let them be shown reading the phone book while the government is shut down.
The thing about these government shutdowns is that you really realize just how useless the government really is.
If the border wall was for Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, or some other nation, both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate would fund it immediately.
But it’s to protect Americans, the people the political class hate and despise, so we will have to fight for it tooth and nail.