In the midst of the partial stalemate of government affairs in the US, the congress is coming together for the first time in a new constellation.
Opposition Democrats are taking control of the House of Representatives, while in the Senate, US President Donald Trump’s Republicans continue to hold the majority. At the congressional election in early November, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate were reassigned. Both chambers meet today for the first time in a new cast.
For almost two weeks, the government business is partly lame. Shortly before Christmas, a budget freeze for several federal ministries came into force, because a budget law for these ministries is missing. Trump had refused to sign a law if it did not provide about $ 5 billion for the wall he had long been demanding on the Mexican border. The Democrats reject Trump’s demand, however. Because of the shutdown hundreds of thousands of government employees are condemned to forced leave or have to work for the time being without salary.
In the dispute over the „shutdown“ brought on Wednesday, a meeting of Trump with tips of the opposition Democrats and his Republicans no breakthrough. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Party’s designated Democratic chairperson, announced after the meeting that she would present a draft budget bill at the constituent meeting of the House this Thursday. However, the White House dismissed the bill as a „passer-by“ because it did not provide the necessary funds for border security.
Trump had stressed shortly before the meeting that he continued to demand $ 5.6 billion for the construction of part of a wall on the border with Mexico. The House of Representatives Trump’s Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy said after the meeting Wednesday that Trump had asked for another conversation with top executives from both parties at the White House this Friday.
After the peak meeting on Wednesday, Trump called on both parties to work together for a budget law „that protects this nation and its people.“ He was ready to work with the Democrats for this, Trump wrote on Twitter.
The Democrats are proposing a budget law that would ensure the funding of almost all „shutdown“ ministries by the end of September. The Department of Homeland Security – which is responsible for border security – would only be funded until 8 February. Pelosi pointed out that this will leave a good month to settle the dispute over the Wall.
With their new dominance in the House of Representatives, Democrats Trump can make life difficult in other issues. They can initiate investigations against him or block legislative proposals. Pelosi wants to be elected chairman of the chamber at the kick-off meeting.
