The Senate’s votes on two proposals to end the government shutdown have now officially failed, as expected. But the government is still closed. So what’s next?
The outcome of Thursday’s votes is forcing Republicans and Democrats to consider what will actually pass the Senate and resolve this shutdown. Now that they’ve seen what won’t, the very beginnings of concessions from both sides are starting to surface.
It’s still unclear whether these failed votes will be enough to break a weeks-long stalemate, but it’s possible they could give it a boost of energy that it’s been sorely missing.
There are already a couple of options that have been floated as possible next steps:
A House bill with a major increase to border security funding: House Democrats have been churning out short-term spending bills like clockwork, but their latest offering — which they are set to unveil as soon as Thursday night — is expected to include a $5 billion boost in funding for border-related efforts, Politico reports. This increase would go to the Department of Homeland Security and would not include funds for a wall, though it would cover border technology.
The House bill would provide a concession to Trump, who’s long demanded more money for border security, while still holding fast to Democrats’ opposition to his wall. As the Washington Post points out, Democrats would only consider negotiations on this legislation after the government is opened, a stance they’ve maintained throughout the shutdown fight. The offering does, however, signal an openness to an ultimate compromise on border spending figures.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday emphasized that this proposal was not the result of any negotiations with Republicans at this time. “That’s not any negotiation behind the scenes, or anything like that,” she noted during a press briefing.
An even bigger DACA deal: According to an Axios report, there have been talks of a larger deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which Trump had begun to sunset. That bid, spearheaded by White House adviser Jared Kushner, could include a pathway to green cards for 700,000 current DACA recipients. It’s an ambitious proposal but one that would ultimately collapse Trump’s support on the right, one senator told Axios. Some form of compromise involving a DACA fix could continue to be on the table as negotiations proceed. It’s unclear whether Temporary Protected Status would be part of this potential option.
What failed: Trump’s idea and Democrats’ “clean vote” idea
Thursday’s vote was the result of an agreement reached by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Shumer earlier this week. The intent was to give each side’s idea an opportunity for a vote.
The first of these plans was one proposed by Trump, which included demands for $5.7 billion for the border wall, along with three-year extensions of protections for DACA recipients and TPS holders. The second was a clean short-term spending bill proposed by Democrats, which did not contain wall money and would open the government through February 8. Neither was able to reach the 60-vote threshold they needed to gain Senate approval.
The failure of the two proposals sends a message to both Trump and Democrats — highlighting the fact that neither of their plans is able to pass in its current form. Democrats have long hammered McConnell for not considering any House-passed spending legislation. By agreeing to a vote on this short-term bill, McConnell has shown them that it doesn’t have the support it needs to advance.
Ahead of the vote, a Schumer spokesperson declined to comment on what Democrats would consider if both votes failed. A McConnell spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For now, at least, the stalemate continues.