Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accepted a commitment from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to take up immigration reform soon, that includes possible long-term protections for dreamers, hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
The senate has voted on a new plan to end the shutdown. the republican proposal would extend government funding until February 8. Senator Schumer again blamed republicans for prompting the three-day shutdown.
There was a group of 17 senators (that included Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham ) that helped lead to 60 votes for a continuing resolution to re-open the government.
That deal will include possible long-term protections for Dreamers, hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Once a final Senate vote is passed, it must also clear the House and be signed by President Trump. The government ran out of money early Saturday morning. Another extension of funding would be the fourth continuing resolution, or CR, since September. As February 8th nears, lawmakers will be under growing pressure to approve a long-term budget. Military leaders have complained that the Pentagon needs long-term spending certainty for appropriate planning and readiness.