Republicans move to prevent US government shutdown after healthcare failure

Following the defeat on the Obamacare repeal plan, Republicans are taking all possible actions in a bid to prevent a government shutdown.

Republican leaders in the Senate suggested that they would set aside President Donald Trump's controversial request for a military supplemental bill that would include funding to begin construction of a wall along the Mexican border.

On Tuesday (28 March), Senator Roy Blunt (Republican, Missouri) said the supplemental bill would likely move "at a later time".

At the same time, Speaker Paul Ryan said he wanted to address defunding Planned Parenthood via a special budgetary process that would require only 51 votes, currently the Republicans have 52 senators.

It has dawned on Republicans after the healthcare bill defeat that they can't pass critical legislation on their own.

Keeping the government open may be one of the few areas where Republicans can expect assistance from Democrats, who are otherwise ardently opposed to their agenda.

After the centrist and conservative Republicans derailed the healthcare bill, which was one of Trump's top priorities, they now want to avoid defaulting on debt and entering a shutdown, especially so soon after the general election.

Republicans are concerned that a shutdown only a few months into Trump's term could raise questions about their basic ability to govern, with the ramifications felt in the 2018 midterm elections.

The budget proposal Trump submitted to Congress this month included a supplemental request for $30bn (£24bn) in emergency defence funds and $3bn to begin construction of the border wall and tighten homeland security.

Senate Democrats warned Republican leaders in a recent letter that they will block spending legislation that includes money for the border wall, cuts non-defence domestic programmes or includes "poison pill riders".

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Illinois) predicted Republicans would be blamed for a shutdown because they control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

"We've given fair warning to the Republicans. If they want to play games and have a government shutdown, that's their decision. If they want to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, they can do it easily."

"They're in charge; they have the majority," he said.

Congress needs to pass the appropriations bill by 28 April to keep the government open. Democrats can block the Department of Homeland Security funding in a filibuster.

A delay that lasts beyond 28 April will lead to a shutdown of the department.

The government would begin shutting down on 29 April, Trump's 100<sup>th day as president.