The budget debate exploded in Congress Thursday. Both GOP and Democrat leaders were fighting to avoid a government shutdown, but that isn’t stopping one lawmaker in particular from making absurd comments about reaching across the aisle to make a deal.
House Speaker Paul Ryan had to calm fears and confusion over President Trump’s tweets Thursday morning on the children’s health insurance subsidy, or CHIP. The president tweeted that CHIP must be “part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!” CHIP funding is a bargaining chip in final budge negotiations on the continuing resolution along with cutting several Obamacare taxes and legislation on Dreamers.
Similarly, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was asked about the GOP plan for short-term funding of CHIP at her press conference Thursday afternoon. The Minority leader compared it to eating dog poop.
Seriously.
“This is like giving you a bowl of doggie doo, put a cherry on top and call it a chocolate Sunday. This is nothing.”
Pelosi went on to call for “permanent CHIP” saying the program was “running out of money” because the GOP wanted to fund tax cuts.
Ryan told reporters that he was confident the House bill would pass and that Trump’s tweets are “not causing us problems at all.”
Trump remarked earlier Thursday that a government shutdown is possible but funding of the military should be the first priority. “If the country shuts down, which could very well be, the worst thing is what happens to our military,” Trump said.
In a later statement, the White House said Trump supports Ryan’s plan and that he “will not let it be held hostage by Democrats.”
“The President supports the continuing resolution introduced in the House. Congress needs to do its job and provide full funding of our troops and military with a two year budget caps deal. However, as the deal is negotiated, the President wants to ensure our military and national security are funded. He will not let it be held hostage by Democrats.”
