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Joint Statement From Leaders Schumer And Pelosi On Democrats’ Action To End The Trump Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)  released the following statement on Democrats’ legislation to end the Trump Shutdown, consisting of six full-year appropriations bills, which passed the Senate on the floor or in committee with strong bipartisan support, and separately a CR until February 8 for Homeland Security, the same timing that passed the full Senate unanimously:

“While President Trump drags the nation into Week Two of the Trump Shutdown and sits in the White House and tweets, without offering any plan that can pass both chambers of Congress, Democrats are taking action to lead our country out of this mess.  This legislation reopens government services, ensures workers get the paychecks they’ve earned and restores certainty to the lives of the American people.

“The President is using the government shutdown to try to force an expensive and ineffective wall upon the American people, but Democrats have offered two bills which separate the arguments over the wall from the government shutdown.  The first bill would reopen all government agencies except for the Department of Homeland Security – not taking a position on the President’s wall.  It would simply continue the funding levels and language that both parties have already supported.  The second bill would extend the Department of Homeland Security’s funding through February 8th, which Republicans already supported in recent weeks.

“If Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans refuse to support the first bill, then they are complicit with President Trump in continuing the Trump shutdown and in holding the health and safety of the American people and workers’ paychecks hostage over the wall.
 
“It would be the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism for Senate Republicans to now reject the same legislation they have already supported. 
 

“Once the Senate passes this legislation and puts us on a path to reopening government, the President must come to his senses and immediately sign it into law.”

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