Conflicting Strategies to Avoid a Shutdown

“Republican leaders in both houses of Congress face a sticky situation this week as they try to avert a government shutdown: Each side has promised its members things that will not fly in the other chamber,” Politico reports.

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told moderate Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) he’d support passage of legislation by the end of the year to prop up Obamacare insurance markets — so long as she votes for tax reform. That addition, however, puts Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) in a pickle: His members are loath to be seen as bailing out a health care law they hate.”

“Ryan, meanwhile, green-lighted a short-term spending strategy that funds the Pentagon but does nothing for Democratic priorities — and suggested House members could leave town to try to ‘jam the Senate’ into accepting their bill. But McConnell needs eight Democrats to pass anything, so the House plan is sure to fail in his chamber.”