Shutdown in the USA getting closer? The Senate rejected the budget bill

The US Senate on Thursday rejected the budget bill for numerous federal agencies, taking a step towards a partial shutdown. The bill must be adopted before the end of the week, but negotiations between the two parties are ongoing. It is unclear whether these talks will be concluded before the cut-off date.

The bill was rejected with all Democrats and eight Republicans opposed during the first procedural vote to end debate on the legislation. Despite the fiasco, which increases the risk of partial paralysis of the state, both parties declared their willingness to negotiate and find a compromise to avoid a shutdown.

The budget suspension is mainly the result of Democrats' opposition to increasing funds for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its subordinate immigration services in the wake of the shooting of Alex Pretti, a participant in a protest against these institutions in Minneapolis, by federal officers. Democrats demand that the bill introduce numerous restrictions on the operation of immigration services, including a ban on officers patrolling cities and entering homes, as well as imposing an obligation to introduce cameras attached to uniforms and a ban on wearing masks.

Both Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump signaled a willingness to compromise on Thursday. A potential solution may be to exclude the bill on appropriations for DHS from the budget package and extend the financing of the ministry at the current level for several weeks. This is to give time to develop a new version of the budget for DHS.

– We hope there won't be a shutdown and that's what we're working on. “I think we're getting close,” Trump said during a meeting of his cabinet on Thursday.

So far, Congress has passed three packages of year-round budget bills for many federal agencies (so-called minibuses), and this one is the last piece required to complete the budget. In addition to money for DHS, it also includes the budgets of the Pentagon and the ministries of transport, housing, health, education and labor. If the last package is not passed by January 30, these ministries – which employ the vast majority of federal employees – will be affected by the shutdown..

Even if both sides reach a compromise, it is unlikely that it could be adopted before the end of the week. This is due to the fact that the House of Representatives – which would have to approve the changes made by the Senate – is currently in recess and congressmen are in their districts.

This would be the second such case in Donald Trump's current term of office, after the record-breaking 43-day total paralysis of the state, lasting from October to mid-November last year.

From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)

osk/rtt/