House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Speaker Mike Johnson on Saturday that Democrats won’t help Republicans pass a funding bill to reopen the government if they attempt to fast-track the measure Monday, according to two sources familiar with a call between the leaders.
Jeffries’ move is a major gamble since he would be rebelling against a deal cut by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Donald Trump to approve funding for much of the federal government through the end of September. The deal funds the Department of Homeland Security for only two weeks to allow for long-term negotiations on federal immigration enforcement.
The Senate voted to pass the measure just hours before a Friday deadline to fund the government, but the House is not expected to return to Washington until Monday to vote on final approval. With the funding deadline passed, Washington entered a partial government shutdown.
Many Democrats say DHS shouldn’t receive the two weeks of funding — and Jeffries appears to be siding with them, raising the possibility that the shutdown could extend past Monday.
Johnson had hoped to pass the bill under a process known as “suspending the rules,” meaning two-thirds of the narrowly divided House would need to approve it with the backing of dozens of Democrats.
But Jeffries said Democrats would not assist in that endeavor. That leaves Johnson with the only option of advancing the plan with Republicans alone. The House would first need to approve a rule, allowing the chamber to approve the bill by a simple majority.
But passage is not guaranteed since a number of conservative hardliners are angry about various provisions in the bill.
Jeffries told MS NOW in an interview Saturday that House and Senate Democrats are on the same page in regard to their demands for the Department of Homeland Security.
“We’re in alignment with the way in which Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats have articulated those demands, and we’re going to need to see dramatic change as it relates to how the Department of Homeland Security operates moving forward,” he said.
Jeffries called for a “full and complete debate” on Monday and insisted that House Democrats be included in Republican plans moving forward, which he said will be discussed during Sunday’s caucus call.
Jeffries listed Democrats’ demands to rein in DHS, including requirements that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials wear body cameras and remove their masks, end roving patrols, and tighten parameters around warrants for searches and arrests.
“We need ICE and DHS agencies to conduct themselves like every other law enforcement agency in the country. … If we’re contemplating a two-week freeze in order to get us to a place where we can see dramatic change, we want to understand that there’s an ironclad path forward to get those things done,” the New York Democrat said.
The deal reached Friday came after Trump and GOP leaders quickly agreed to Democrats’ demand to punt on DHS funding amid intense public backlash from the two killings of US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. The White House has sought to avoid a shutdown after Democrats showed firm resolve last fall, refusing to reopen the government for 43 days over expiring enhanced Obamacare tax credits.
Only certain government agencies are shuttering since others have already been fully funded for the rest of the fiscal year. Several agencies, including the departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Interior, Energy, Justice and Commerce, will remain open.
Tens of millions of people won’t be in danger of losing their food assistance benefits this time. Still, even a partial government shutdown can cause a lot of pain if it is prolonged. Travelers could face delays at airports; many federal workers could miss paychecks; and people may not be able to obtain certain federal loans to buy homes or operate small businesses.
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