The Senate on Monday voted to end the three-day government shutdown after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared he would deal with the Dreamers in the coming weeks, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Monday.
“We will vote today to reopen the government, to continue negotiating a global agreement, with the commitment that, if an agreement is not reached by Feb 8th, the Senate will immediately proceed to consideration of legislation dealing with DACA. The process will be neutral & fair,” Schumer tweeted moments before taking to the Senate floor.
Moments later, the upper chamber voted 80-18 to temporarily fund the government, easily clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to pass.
The ailing John McCain did not vote, and one other GOP senator did not immediately vote.
Thirty-three Democrats joined 47 Republicans in voting for the measure while 16 Democrats and two Republicans opposed it.
Schumer blamed President Trump for the delay, and said mockingly that “the great deal-making president sat on the sidelines” all weekend and that Schumer had to negotiate with congressional Republicans.
“The Republican majority now has 17 days to prevent the Dreamers from being deported,” Schumer said, referring to those protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which Trump killed.
The shutdown began at midnight Friday, but the major effects are only now being felt with the beginning of the workweek.
McConnell said he hopes to reach bipartisan solutions on immigration, border security, disaster aid, military funding and more by Feb. 8. If not, he said, “it would be my intention to take up legislation” addressing those issues.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) called protecting the Dreamers the leading civil rights issue of the day, and praised several Republican senators for their cooperation on negotiating an end to the shutdown.
“We have gathered the largest bipartisan group of senators to move forward on the DREAM act and immigration,” he said.