Dem
51
GOP
49
The government still doesn't have permanent funding for the current fiscal year. It's been one continuing resolution after another. Unless something happens by tomorrow, part of the government will shut down on Saturday. An omnibus bill to fund the entire government properly is out of the question because House Republicans are too divided to pass such a bill. Instead, Senate Republicans are working on two smaller bills, nicknamed "minibus bills," each funding part of the government.
The complication here is that multiple minibus bills are in play and it matters which one (if any) gets passed. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) is sponsoring a package of six bills that he hopes will pass the Senate and avert a shutdown. The package has over 6,000 earmarks in it, something conservatives hate. They want to shrink the government and earmarks are added to bills to buy the votes of senators and representatives, thus increasing government spending. In many cases, there is nothing actually wrong with the earmarks as they generally go to public works in some state or district to get some senator or representative on board.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is trying to outflank Thune on the right and may vote against the package to show conservative senators that he is a better choice than Thune as the person to succeed Mitch McConnell in January as the leader of the Republican caucus. Thus the possibility of a government shutdown is now deeply embedded in the leadership fight in the Senate and the need to please conservative senators without offending moderate senators. And remember, Democrats get to vote, too.
Thune has a lot of skin in the game. He has requested $116 million in earmarks, including $12 million to expand a water treatment plant in Clay County, SD, and $30 million for housing supply needs in other counties in South Dakota. How the bill fares may give a clue as to which John will become the primary John next year. (V)