BUDGET/DEMS/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump will face off with Democratic leaders of Congress on Thursday [12-7-17] in a high-stakes White House meeting intended to bridge differences over a spending bill and preventing a government shutdown…
Trump and Congress are facing a deadline of midnight Friday to pass new spending legislation or trigger the closure of many federal offices.
The most likely scenario is that the House and Senate will soon approve a temporary bill that postpones until Dec. 22 decisions on several contentious issues.
But the White House and congressional leaders will have to intensify negotiations, which have been going on for months, in order to come up with the next government funding bill that would stave off partial shutdowns on Dec. 23…
The Republican-controlled House is expected to vote on Thursday on a bill that would keep the government open at current spending levels through Dec. 22 while lawmakers negotiate a longer-term solution…
Some conservative Republicans may oppose the spending bill on the grounds that the time period is too short and forces more crucial decision-making right before the holidays. But the measure is expected to pass the House and move to the Senate.
The White House said Trump would sign the stopgap measure.”
-Susan Cornwell and Jeff Mason, “Trump and Democrats face off over potential U.S. government shutdown,” Reuters, Dec. 7, 2017 03:05am