Mediaboss Marketing

Senate Republicans are growing concerned that rising tensions between President TrumpDonald John TrumpMelania Trump is 'behind-the-scenes' but 'unbelievably influential': book Police unions face lobbying fights at all levels of government Ernst challenger leads by three points in tight Iowa Senate race MORE and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiNavarro floats T price tag for next coronavirus relief bill Democrats see path to ridding Capitol of Confederate statues New York Times endorses Engel primary challenger MORE (D-Calif.) could lead to a shutdown fight just weeks before the election and threaten their slim majority in the chamber.

There is widespread anxiety among GOP senators that Trumps penchant for picking fights is a political liability as his response to nationwide protests against police brutality appears to be the cause of his declining approval ratings.

Republicans are now worried that hes likely to pick a fight with Pelosi in September over government funding for the next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.

Trump and Pelosis relationship has only gotten worse since the 35-day government shutdown at the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019. The president regularly refers to her as "Crazy Nancy," and last month Pelosi called him "morbidly obese."

GOP lawmakers say the last thing they need a few weeks before the Nov. 3 election is a spending standoff and possible government shutdown, especially with 23 Republican Senate seats up for reelection and only 12 Democratic seats at stake.

The Senate has yet to pass any of the 12 appropriations bills. In the House, Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita LoweyNita Sue LoweyWins by young progressives start reshaping establishment On The Money: Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election | Mnuchin: White House seriously considering second round of stimulus checks | Labor leaders under pressure on police unions Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election MORE (D-N.Y.) announced that she intends to hold all subcommittee and full committee markups the weeks of July 6 and July 13.

Some Senate Republicans are discussing moving legislation that would prevent a government shutdown even if the annual appropriations bills havent been passed. The GOP senators say theyve gotten a commitment from GOP leaders for a vote in the coming weeks.

Theres some of us that would like to get back on that, Sen. Mike BraunMichael BraunOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senior Interior official contacted former employer, violating ethics pledge: watchdog | Ag secretary orders environmental rollbacks for Forest Service | Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote MORE (R-Ind.) said after Republicans discussed it at a recent lunch meeting. It has to do with the general dysfunction that we have here.

He said Thursday the goal is to get something in place before a shutdown scenario arises and to have it there where you get rid of shutting down the government as a lever that can be used by whoever chooses to do it.

Braun added that theres strong Republican support for the legislation, but it faces an uphill path to securing support from Pelosi, Senate MinorityLeader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerJones, Sessions spar over renaming of military bases Democrats rip Trump rollback of LGBTQ protections amid Pride Month Sessions-Tuberville Senate runoff heats up in Alabama MORE (D-N.Y.) and other Democrats who worry that automatically defaulting to long-term stopgap spending measures could take pressure off Congress to pass new spending bills every year.

Sen. Patrick LeahyPatrick Joseph LeahyPolice unions face lobbying fights at all levels of government Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Can he really do that? Yes, he probably can because Congress let him MORE (Vt.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has previously opposed legislation that would permanently enact appropriations if Congress failed to act or the president vetoed spending legislation.

Some moderate Democrats, however, have expressed support in the past for legislation to prevent future shutdowns.

Sen. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerRepublicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Virginia senator calls for Barr to resign over order to clear protests Trump asserts his power over Republicans MORE (D-Va.) last year introduced the Stop Stupidity Act, which would renew government funding at the same levels as the previous fiscal year, except for the legislative branch and the executive office of the president.

Braun said even if the legislation doesnt become law, it would at least put Senate Republicans on record opposing a shutdown ahead of an anticipated fight over a stopgap spending measure to keep government agencies operating beyond Sept. 30.

If Schumer and/or Pelosi wants to keep that open as an option, I think it will be pretty easy to connect the dots on whose fault it would be if we ever have a government shutdown, he said.

To me it would be the biggest thing we could do to at least be able to hold a stronger bargaining position that the government cant shut down, he said.

Theres concern among Republicans over which party would get the blame for a shutdown only a few weeks before an election in which Democrats are seen as having a growing chance of capturing the Senate GOP majority.

GOP lawmakers felt burned after the 2018-2019 shutdown, which was provoked by a fight primarily between Trump and Democratic leaders over the presidents demand for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanCongress must protect federal watchdogs Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Senate subcommittee: IRS should increase oversight of tax-prep companies in Free File program MORE (R-Ohio) and a group of Senate Republicans have proposed the End Government Shutdowns Act, which would set up an automatic continuing resolution for any regular appropriations bill or existing stopgap spending measure to keep the federal government open when negotiations falter before key spending deadlines, according to an official summary of the proposal.

Braun said Republican senators hope to merge that with a measure he and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) sponsored the No Budget, No Pay Act that would require Congress to pass an annual budget and meet appropriations bill deadlines or forgo their own salaries until those goals are met. It passed out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsCommittee last year.

At this point I think theres going to be unanimity on just jumping on one, he said, adding it was discussed by members of the Senate Republican Steering Committee among those of us who want to pick something that we can all go arm-in-arm with.

GOP Sens. Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyCongress must protect federal watchdogs Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Republicans release newly declassified intelligence document on FBI source Steele MORE (Iowa), Steve DainesSteven (Steve) David DainesOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senior Interior official contacted former employer, violating ethics pledge: watchdog | Ag secretary orders environmental rollbacks for Forest Service | Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Ag secretary orders environmental rollbacks for Forest Service Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election MORE (Mont.), Mike EnziMichael (Mike) Bradley EnziRepublicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election GOP senators dodge on treatment of White House protesters House GOP lawmakers urge Senate to confirm Vought MORE (Wyo.), John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoRepublicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election GOP senators urge Trump to back off Murkowski threat House Democrats roll out 0B green transportation infrastructure bill MORE (Wyo.), Jim RischJames (Jim) Elroy RischRepublicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election GOP's Obama-era probes fuel Senate angst Democrat Paulette Jordan to face incumbent Jim Risch in Idaho Senate race MORE (Idaho), Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senior Interior official contacted former employer, violating ethics pledge: watchdog | Ag secretary orders environmental rollbacks for Forest Service | Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Senate advances public lands bill in late-night vote MORE (Utah) and Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiRepublicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election Milley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill MORE (Alaska) have co-sponsored Portmans bill.

Lee confirmed that government shutdown prevention legislation was discussed at one of the Senate Republican Steering Committees recent lunches.

I like it, he said. Were co-sponsors of several iterations of that.

Its always a concern, Lee said of a potential shutdown fight in September. Thats why we need reforms."

Id like to take that risk off the table, he said.

Excerpt from:
Republicans start bracing for shutdown fight in run-up to election | TheHill - The Hill