House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Sunday called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to take up Democratic bills to reopen parts of the government as a partial shutdown stretches into its third week.
Hoyer argued Democrats have already compromised in shutdown talks by passing bills last week that were approved in the Republican-held Senate in December. He said Democrats in the House will introduce legislation in the coming week that would individually reopen each agency.
“What we ought to do is open up the government first. And that’s what we’re going to do,” Hoyer said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I would hope that Sen. McConnell would take the responsibility as the leader of the co-equal branch of government, the legislative branch, and send this to the president.”
{mosads}Hoyer said Democrats will vote in the coming week on bills that would individually reopen the Treasury and IRS as well as the Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development and Interior departments so that Americans can get tax refunds, receive food and housing aid and access parks amid the debate over President Trump’s proposed border wall.
Parts of the government have been shut down for 16 days and counting as Trump calls for $5 billion for his desired wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for border security, but have said they will not give money for the wall.
The two sides have remained dug in, raising the prospect of a long-term shutdown.
McConnell has said the Senate will not vote on the bills passed by the House unless Trump indicates he will sign them.