On Tuesday, Senate leaders revealed that they are closing in on a two-year budget deal that will change the entire scenario regarding internal disparities. It is believed that the deal might prevent a government shutdown, leading to a debate on immigration reform in the coming week.
According to the reports, the two-year budget deal will set the spending budget for the fiscal year of 2018 and 2019. This will also help in avoiding a potential second government shutdown on coming Thursday.
Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Senate Majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had a meeting in McConnell’s office on Tuesday. They touted the progress of discussions after the meeting was over.
McConnell said in a statement, “I’m optimistic that very soon we’ll be able to reach an agreement.” He believes that this deal could avert government’s shutdown plan and it is now very unlikely.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think we’re on the way to getting an agreement and on the way to getting an agreement very soon,” he added.
Apart from this, Schumer told that he is expecting to close a deal that will result in lifting budget caps for defense and nondefense programs. He said in a statement, “I’m very pleased to report my meeting with Leader McConnell went very well. We’re making real progress on a spending deal that would increase the caps for both military and middle-class priorities on the domestic side that my colleagues have been fighting for.”
In other news, McConnell is hopeful to agreeing to a floor debate that will produce fruitful results for the immigration legislation in the Senate.
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) expressed anger that the immigrants should not be left out by not including them in the initial deal. “Do you really think we’d be having this dialogue if every Planned Parenthood office were to come to a halt — I mean, shuttered. I don’t think so,” he stated. “I think, however, unfortunately, it’s OK to do it to ‘Dreamers.’ It’s OK to turn your back and walk away from Dreamers. And I think that’s unfortunate.”
It is believed that the Senate has done enough to avoid a prospect of the government shutdown. The deal would keep it open for at least six weeks. In addition to this, the legislation would include budgetary ceilings for defense and nondefense spending that reflect the Schumer-McConnell agreement.
