Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellBitter fight over Barrett fuels calls to nix filibuster, expand court Trump blasts Obama speech for Biden as 'fake' after Obama hits Trump's tax payments White House hoping for COVID-19 relief deal 'within weeks': spokeswoman MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday ruled out a scenario where the chamber would try to override a veto from President Trump
Donald John TrumpGiuliani goes off on Fox Business host after she compares him to Christopher Steele Trump looks to shore up support in Nebraska NYT: Trump had 7 million in debt mostly tied to Chicago project forgiven MORE as a way out of the partial government shutdown.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellBitter fight over Barrett fuels calls to nix filibuster, expand court Trump blasts Obama speech for Biden as 'fake' after Obama hits Trump's tax payments White House hoping for COVID-19 relief deal 'within weeks': spokeswoman MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday ruled out a scenario where the chamber would try to override a veto from President TrumpDonald John TrumpGiuliani goes off on Fox Business host after she compares him to Christopher Steele Trump looks to shore up support in Nebraska NYT: Trump had 7 million in debt mostly tied to Chicago project forgiven MORE as a way out of the partial government shutdown. "In a situation like this where the president in my view is in the right place — trying to get the right outcome … with regard to border security — of course not," McConnell told reporters when asked if he would be willing to override a veto on legislation to fully reopen the government.
Democrats, who have been trying to build pressure on McConnell to break with Trump in the weeks-long funding fight, blasted the GOP leader on Tuesday afternoon, asserting he and Republicans were more worried about "not offending" Trump than reopening the government.
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Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerHouse Democrats introduce bill to invest 0 billion in STEM research and education Graham dismisses criticism from Fox Business's Lou Dobbs Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' MORE (D-N.Y.) argued that Republicans "are hiding in the shadows as if they have some kind of aversion to doing their job when it involves even the slightest break with the president."
Chuck SchumerHouse Democrats introduce bill to invest 0 billion in STEM research and education Graham dismisses criticism from Fox Business's Lou Dobbs Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' MORE (D-N.Y.) argued that Republicans "are hiding in the shadows as if they have some kind of aversion to doing their job when it involves even the slightest break with the president."GOP senators, including members of Republican leadership, have repeatedly shot down questions from reporters about potentially trying to override a Trump veto — suggesting it was something McConnell would not consider as an escape hatch to the partial shutdown.
"We're not going to do that. Twenty Republicans are not going to join with 47 Democrats and override a veto on this issue," Sen. Roy Blunt
Roy Dean BluntPower players play chess match on COVID-19 aid GOP to Trump: Focus on policy Low-flying helicopters to measure radiation levels in DC before inauguration MORE (Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, told reporters late last week. "It's like many other discussions here, a waste of time."
Roy Dean BluntPower players play chess match on COVID-19 aid GOP to Trump: Focus on policy Low-flying helicopters to measure radiation levels in DC before inauguration MORE (Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, told reporters late last week. "It's like many other discussions here, a waste of time." McConnell has said the Senate will not take up government funding legislation unless it's an agreement reached by the White House and congressional Democratic leadership.
"There's no way around it. Having show votes in the Senate doesn't solve the problem," McConnell told reporters on Tuesday.
The GOP leader has twice blocked a House-passed package that would fully reopen the federal government, roughly a quarter of which has been closed since Dec. 22 amid a stalemate over Trump's demand for border wall funding.
One of the bills passed by the House would fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, while the other would fund the rest of the impacted departments and agencies through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
Updated: 4 p.m.
