The blame game has started as of midnight,Tuesday, October 1. When will the Federal Government shutdown end? Only timewill tell.
The closures of monuments and memorials havemade headlines this week as a consequence of what happens when Congress doesn’tfund the government. Granted, during the 1995/1996 government shutdowns,monuments and war memorials were kept open. If you’ve ever been to Washington,D.C., you’ve seen these memorials; they are outside and open to the public 24/7.But as with the Sequester, we are currently seeing this administration’s truepriorities – to make the American people feel as uncomfortable as possible inhopes that the people will embrace the approach that is being forced upon them.
House
Despitethe looming shutdown and the House being in session, the Senate chose not to”work” over the weekend.On Monday,September 30, the Senate tabled the House amendments that included keeping thegovernment funded and ping-ponged the bill back to the House.
Onceagain, the House attempted to fund the government, passing an amendment 228-201that would extend the Continuing Resolution to December 15, delay theindividual mandate for one year, and ensurethat Washington is not exempted from ObamaCare, so that legislators will havethe same health choices as every other American. This proposal wasalso rejected.
In afinal attempt to get House and Senate Members of Congress around thenegotiating table to hammer out a deal, the House sent the Senate a fundingbill and a request to conference. The Senate denied that request.
In aneffort to ease the government shutdown, the House has continued to try to fundportions of the government, like the national parks, veterans’ programs, andallowing D.C. to use the revenue they raise to keep the D.C. governmentfunded.These bills have been ignored inthe Senate.
Senate
Every attempt the House has made to “fix” thegovernment shutdown has been “shutdown.” Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada)has made his intentions clear, tabling (killing) any proposal from the Houseand reiterating President Obama’s all-or-nothing rhetoric; the only deal thatwill be made is a clean Continuing Resolution (CR).
Unfortunately, the standoff looks to be moreabout Democrats’ unwillingness to give regular Americans relief from ObamaCarethan about the CR.Monday night, whenSen. Reid had the opportunity to prevent a government shutdown, he tabled theHouse proposal. Even when the House tried to appoint conferees to quickly endthe government shutdown on Tuesday, Sen. Reid tabled the motion. Also, by Sen.Reid tabling the motion to consider going to conference with the House, heviolated his own conference motions rule. As of January 24, the Senate amendedthe standing rules (Sec 2. Rule XXVIII), which didn’t include the option oftabling a conference motion sent over from the House of Representatives.
It seems as though the problem with ourgovernment is being brought to light. The House passes legislation, and theSenate, at the bidding of the President, kills it and offers an all-or-nothingalternative.
The Senate will likely be in session thisweekend to take up any provisions it receives from the House.