Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blocked legislation on Thursday that would have reopened most of the federal government impacted by the partial shutdown.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) tried to get consent to take up a House-passed bill that would reopen all agencies except the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is at the center of the shutdown fight. But McConnell objected.
The Senate GOP leader didn’t explain his objection from the Senate floor, but he has warned for weeks that he will not bring up a government funding bill unless it’s the product of an agreement between congressional Democratic leadership and President Trump.
“The solution to this is a negotiation between the one person in the country who can sign something into law, the president of the United States, and our Democratic colleagues,” McConnell said Tuesday when he blocked a House bill as well as a piece of legislation to fund DHS through Feb. 8.
This marks the third time that McConnell has blocked House-passed government funding bills in the past two weeks. Under Senate rules, any senator can ask for consent to vote on or pass a bill, but any senator can object. – READ MORE