Senate Will Vote on Bill to End Government Shutdown at Noon Monday

Despite New York Senator Chuck Schumer’s claim that the Senate has “yet to reach a path forward” on a bipartisan bill to end the government shutdown that somehow satisfies both the pro- and anti-immigration blocs of the Senate, Politico reports that the Senate will vote at noon on Monday “on a bill to reopen the government through Feb. 8,” though, it adds, “passage is not assured.”

Reports from the Senate floor early Sunday evening indicated that lawmakers weren’t optimistic about coming to a bipartisan resolution before Monday, though rumors circulated Sunday afternoon that the Senate might be ready to vote on a bill by 1 a.m. Monday. Politico reported:

Senators took a proposal to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) after a 90-minute meeting Sunday afternoon. It would reopen the government through Feb. 8 and have McConnell commit on the Senate floor to holding an immigration vote before that date.

McConnell and Schumer then met privately for more than 30 minutes. Aides refused to divulge details, but there was no agreement announced and another failed vote to fund the government is now likely to be held at 1 a.m. on Monday. Though an imminent breakthrough looked improbable, bipartisan talks continued.

The sense of pessimism Sunday night came after senators involved in the bipartisan talks came away upbeat earlier in the day that the shutdown would soon end.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking on the floor at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, said that it would be his “intention to proceed to legislation that would address DACA, border security, and related issues” once the government re-opens, adding that when he “proceed[s] to the immigration debate, it will have an amendment process that is fair to all sides.”