Portman behind immigration talks after extension

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, was among the senators lining up behind a proposal to win Democratic votes on a three-week spending measure in exchange for an agreement by Republican leaders to address immigration policy and other Democratic priorities in the coming weeks.

Under the the compromise suggested by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., passage of an extension to keep the federal government open through Feb. 8 — which would be 10 days shorter than the original Feb. 18 end date the House passed — would be followed by efforts to resolve a debate over how to treat immigrants brought to the country illegally as children and how to address the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign.

Portman said the shutdown has effectively also stopped the ongoing debate over immigration issues.

“I think it just makes no sense to have a shutdown,” he said. “If anything, it’s hurt the process of doing the hard work. This is all politics and it makes no sense.”

He said he was hopeful five or so Democrats would opt for the shorter-term spending measure.

“I think DACA should be addressed,” he said, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, which allowed people brought to the United States illegally as children to stay. “I just don’t think it’s worth shutting down the government to make a point.”

He dismissed the notion that President Trump was to blame or had made negotiations more difficult. “It’s not up to him,” he said. “It’s up to us. It’s our shutdown. I don’t see why we should be relying on the White House to get this done. I think we should do this on our own.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown, meanwhile, introduced a motion to keep the government open through Wednesday, Jan. 24, arguing it would allow Republicans and Democrats to strike a deal. Republicans rejected the motion.

“I don’t want people to go to work tomorrow morning, whether it’s inside the fence, civilian or military, or whether it’s outside the gate,” the Ohio Democrat said. “I don’t want them to go to work and find out the government is closed.”

Brown, Portman, and Reps. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth and Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, are among those who have said they will either not accept a paycheck or will donate their paycheck during the shutdown.