Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Monday said the process of funding the government will “be a clown circus for a few days” amid a partial government shutdown.
“I think that by the end of the week, the House and the Senate will have passed 11 of the 12 appropriations bills. Now, it’ll be a bumpy road for the House. It’ll be a, it’ll be a clown circus for a few days, but I think they’ll ultimately pass,” Kennedy told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.”
“The only bill that will not pass is the Department of Homeland Security budget, and frankly, I don’t know if it’s possible to pass that bill,” he added.
“Because?” Blitzer asked.
“Because both sides are dug in. There are Republicans who will not vote for any type of reform; there are Democrats who will not vote for any type of funding, for [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has faced heavy criticism from Democrats in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal immigration officials.
President Trump on Monday pushed Republicans and Democrats in the House to collaborate on reopening the federal government. The president also said that “no changes” should be made to legislation passed in the Senate “at this time.”
“I am working hard with Speaker Johnson to get the current funding deal, which passed in the Senate last week, through the House and to my desk, where I will sign it into Law, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday.
“We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY. There can be NO CHANGES at this time,” he continued.
