Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday called on Senate Republicans to help broker a deal to keep the government funded after President Trump said he’s prepared for a shutdown if Congress doesn’t approve money for his border wall.
“We hope that Sen. McConnell will help,” Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters. “Sen. McConnell, just here, said that he doesn’t want a shutdown. Well, he can no longer sit on the sidelines. He’s got to persuade President Trump to take one of the two options we offered.”
“This idea that he has nothing to do with it as majority leader of the Senate doesn’t stand any scrutiny at all,” he added.
[Read: Trump feuds openly with Pelosi, Schumer as border fight explodes in White House]
Schumer’s comments came moments after McConnell told reporters that he remains hopeful that a deal will be reached by the Dec. 21 deadline, adding that he is hoping for a “Christmas miracle” and a “smooth ending.”
“I hope that’s not where we end up. I understand it was a rather spirited meeting,” McConnell said. “We all watched. But I would still like to see a smooth ending here, and I haven’t given up that that’s what we’ll have.”
Schumer reiterated to reporters that he, along with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the likely incoming House speaker, offered two deals that would fund the government without the $5 billion the president has called for. The bills would include no more than $1.3 billion for border security.
The New York Democrat added that he does not believe another deal giving Trump $1.6 billion for border security, which was included in the previous spending package, could pass the House.
