Democrats Threaten Government Shutdown in Effort to Keep Funding Planned Parenthood

Democratic lawmakers are threatening a government shutdown in an effort to keep funding for Planned Parenthood and to prevent funding for President Trump’s proposed border wall.

Bloomberg reports that the U.S. government faces an impending shutdown if Congress doesn’t pass a new spending bill by April 29.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer commented on the impending shutdown, saying that Democrats will not allow Republicans to use a new spending bill to cram through agenda items which Democrats oppose.

“If Republicans insist on inserting poison pill riders such as defunding Planned Parenthood, building a border wall, or starting a deportation force, they will be shutting down the government and delivering a severe blow to our economy," Schumer said in a statement.

In order for the government to remain open, a 60-vote threshold must be met in the Senate.

This is not the first time one party or the other has threatened a government shutdown. In 2011, the government nearly shut down over the issue of funding for Planned Parenthood.

Additionally, in 2013, the government underwent a 16-day shutdown when Republicans attempted to get then President Obama to defund the Affordable Care Act. 

This time around, Congressional Democrats and Republicans only have four days left to agree on a new spending bill if the government is going to continue running.

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Publication date: April 25, 2017