GOP to play hardball with Dems on funding bill

House Republicans are moving to pair a full year of defense spending with a short-term measure to avoid a government shutdown*on Friday, effectively daring Democrats in the Senate to block it.

Democrats have demanded that any increase in defense spending be matched with increases to nondefense spending. They also want to reach an immigration deal before they agree to a broader deal on lifting the budget spending caps.

But House GOP leadership's decision puts Senate Democrats in an unenviable position.

Following last month's government shutdown, House Republicans are betting that Minority Leader Charles*Schumer (N.Y.) and his fellow Democrats in the Senate won't have the nerve to force another closure by blocking the bill.

Senate Republicans need at least nine Democratic votes to beat back a Democratic-led filibuster.

Schumer declared the House GOP measure dead on arrival in a floor speech.

"Sending a cromnibus to the Senate, one that just funded defense and cut programs crucial to the middle class, would be barreling head-first into a dead-end," Schumer said, referring to a cross between an omnibus spending bill and short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open.

Speaker*Paul Ryan*(R-Wis.) and other GOP leaders will pitch the plan at an emergency GOP conference meeting*Monday*night, GOP sources told The Hill.*

Rep.*Steve Scalise*(La.), the Republican whip, said the House will vote on the package*on Tuesday.

“[We'll] attach the [Defense Department] appropriations bill, as well as community health center funding, to the CR and send it over to the Senate*tomorrow," Scalise told The Hill. "We’ve passed a number of defense appropriations bills, and the Senate has yet to take action on any of them. So it’s about time that they confront the importance of funding our national defense."


Let's see how this plays out I guess.....could potentially be good for us.

Democrats love being hoe’d though. Not judging. It’s ok. I love getting my hair pulled. If it’s not rough then it’s not good enough.

r u srs, u into that?

I see a path where democrats say you want defense funding? Give us daca deal. But then maybe I'm just wishful thinking. They will punt it and play the good guy for DACA for as long as it last.

I don't understand...this was their position the whole time. Dems would of passed a long term CR long as DACA was addressed.

Dems will fold. The GOP knows they are bluffing.