Government to stay open
WASHINGTON — Congress took the easy way out to keep the government open on the eve of Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, passing a weeklong stop-gap spending bill Friday that amounted to more of a defeat for the president than a victory.
Lawmakers cleared the measure easily with just hours to spare before the shutdown deadline at midnight. But with Trump marking his presidency’s milestone today, he did not wring any major legislation out of Congress, despite a renewed White House push to revive the House GOP’s healthcare bill in time for a vote that could have given him bragging rights.
House leaders are still short of votes for the revised health bill, though they could bring it to the floor next week if they find the support they need.
Also next week, lawmakers plan to pass a $1 trillion package financing the government through Sept. 30, the end of the 2017 fiscal year.
The temporary spending bill keeps the government functioning through next Friday, to allow lawmakers time to wrap up negotiations on the larger measure. The Senate sent the stopgap bill to Trump by voice vote Friday after the House approved it 382-30.
“Today’s measure shows the American people that we are making a good-faith effort to keep our government open,” said Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas.
At least 18 Republicans, mostly moderates, said they oppose the latest health-care legislation, and many others are uncommitted. If 22 Republicans defect, the bill will fail, assuming all Democrats oppose it.
Republicans have recast the health bill to let states escape a requirement under Obama’s 2010 law that insurers charge healthy and seriously ill customers the same rates. The legislation would cut the Medicaid program for the poor, eliminate Obama’s fines for people who don’t buy insurance and provide generally skimpier subsidies.
In the spending bill, Trump and defense hawks have procured a $15 billion infusion for the Pentagon and funds for some bordersecurity accounts. Democrats praised a $2 billion funding increase for the National Institutes of Health — rejecting steep cuts by Trump — as well as more money to combat opioid abuse and fund Pell Grants for summer school. A provision extending health care for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners has yet to be finalized.