Congressional Leaders Unified on Message to Avoid Government Shutdown, Pass Aid Package

On Tuesday February 27, three of Congress's top leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, had a strong and unified message for Speaker Mike Johnson. The message was to ignore the pressure from conservative critics and avoid a government shutdown on Friday at the White House meeting.

Intense Meeting and Reassurance

The meeting was characterized as "intense" and "passionate," with participants emphasizing the detrimental impact of a government shutdown on the American people. Schumer stated, "We made it so clear that we can't have the shutdown because it hurts so many people in so many different ways." He also mentioned that the Speaker did not reject the warning and expressed his desire to avoid a government shutdown.

Jeffries conveyed that there is real progress in negotiations on the appropriations bills for federal departments, and he expressed cautious optimism about avoiding a shutdown.

Pressure on Speaker

A Republican senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the objective of the White House meeting was to exert pressure on Johnson, emphasizing the bipartisan effort to keep the government open and urging Johnson to have a bipartisan vote for passing funding legislation to prevent a shutdown.

Foreign Aid Package for Ukraine

Leaders urged Johnson to pass a Senate-approved foreign aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine. McConnell emphasized the urgency of passing military aid for Ukraine and the consequences of delay in the face of Russian aggression. He hoped that the House would swiftly take up the Senate bill for further action.

Concerns and Optimism

There are concerns about Johnson's response to pressure from House conservatives and the potential derailment of spending bills by policy riders. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray expressed concern about the inclusion of extreme demands that could hinder progress on the spending bills.

Despite the challenges, Johnson expressed his optimism about avoiding a shutdown and his commitment to working towards an agreement to prevent it. While he has demonstrated a willingness to work with Democrats to pass stopgap funding bills, concerns remain about his ability to navigate the current situation.

McConnell's Warning and Cautious Optimism

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned House Republicans about the harmful impact of a government shutdown on the country, emphasizing that it never produces positive outcomes on policy or politics. Following the meeting with Johnson at the White House, McConnell expressed cautious optimism about avoiding a shutdown this week and emphasized the need to move forward with the necessary bills to prevent the drama of a shutdown.