Emboldened Senate Democrats block even bipartisan bills in hardball approach to counter Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats’ consent decree key oversight authority As we become more and more emboldened in our legislative struggles against President Donald Trumphe opposes their policies and personnel, even blocking traditionally bipartisan bills.
It’s a stance that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has escalated from a year ago. was widely criticized Within his party, he decided to hold a vote with Republicans in the spring to keep the government open. Since then, Democrats forced government shutdownsHe slowed down Trump’s nominations and now blocked bipartisan intelligence bill They are looking for leverage in the Republican-led Congress.
The consequences of the risky strategy were the blackening of government programs and the Democrats’ There’s little to show for it in terms of policy victories so far. Republicans say allowing the surveillance law aimed at preventing terrorist attacks to expire is a serious threat to national security at a time when millions of people are coming to the United States for World Cup matches and the start of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
But the heavy-handed approach has helped unite Democrats inside and outside the Capitol because they say they have no choice and the blame should fall on Trump for the way he governs.
“I don’t deny that this is dangerous,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Thursday of Democrats letting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expire starting Saturday. “But this didn’t have to happen.”
Democrats’ growing confidence comes at a time when Republicans are frequently sparring with Trump, who has made clear he has little interest in compromise with lawmakers in both parties. Democrats are blocking renewal of the law known as FISA in protest of Trump’s appointment as federal housing regulator and loyalist Bill Pulte to temporarily lead the country’s intelligence agencies. The choice also irritated Republicans, who said Pulte lacked the experience needed for the job.
Lawmakers in both parties have been calling on Trump all week to withdraw the appointment, and on Thursday Trump nominated a permanent replacement for work just after lawmakers left Washington for the weekend. However, the Senate confirmation process will take time and Trump didn’t move Regarding Pulte’s appointment as interim director.
Rep. Schumer said that without any changes, Democrats “will use every tool we have to fight back.”
The disagreement over FISA has earned Senate Democrats some respect for the base voters who rebelled a year ago. Democratic strategist Joel Payne, who served as an aide to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Schumer and his caucus are “getting more of a combative stance.”
Republicans say blocking FISA is a dangerous strategy
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Democrats played “fast and loose” with national security last year. He pointed to the 43-day government shutdown last fall and a month-long delay in funding for Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.
“How did we get to the point where one party has completely abdicated any responsibility for our nation’s security?” Thune asked.
Democrats argue that Pulte, who has little national security background, is the greater threat. They note that as the federal housing regulator, Trump has pushed for investigations of high-profile political figures he views as political enemies.
“This is not a close call,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “We cannot expand these capabilities if the president makes it clear that he will use them not to protect the nation but to protect himself politically.”
Democrats fight for more influence
Payne, the strategist, says he believes Democrats have gained some advantage since the fall shutdown.
Democrats were unable to get the health benefits extension they requested because of a small group of moderate Democrats. Voted with Republicans to end deadlock. They failed to make the changes they sought at U.S. Immigration, Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, delaying funding for those agencies for months. But the White House did it I agree to negotiateEven if these talks ultimately fail.
Democrats also became more united. While moderates ended the shutdown in the fall, the party stuck together to block immigration funding and oversight.
“They showed the Republicans they weren’t going to give up,” Payne said.
Still, that may not be enough for some in the party’s base or to win a Democratic majority in November’s midterm elections.
Andrew O’Neill, national advocacy director for the Democratic resistance group Indivisible, said he was concerned that some Democrats were praising Jay Clayton, Trump’s permanent pick for the intelligence job.
Republicans are rushing to confirm Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, before Tulsi Gabbard steps down and Pulte takes over as interim director on June 19.
It’s unclear so far whether Democrats will support Clayton or whether Republicans will speed up the process and allow him to quickly confirm him.
O’Neill said he was glad Democrats blocked FISA over Pulte’s appointment, but activists were cautious.
“It’s a mixed bag,” O’Neill said of last year. “The disappointment is that it took this long.”
Republicans turn to Democrats and Trump
Caught in the middle are Senate Republicans, who had to spend months funding border enforcement agencies and are now steering the dispute over FISA even after lawmakers reached a bipartisan compromise.
Republicans are also trying to work with Trump, who derailed the intelligence bill when he announced Pulte’s appointment as senator because he was on the verge of passing that deal.
Trump has weakened Republicans’ standing and his own support in the Senate by supporting primary challenges to incumbent senators. Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas And Bill Cassidy from Louisiana Both lost primaries to Trump-backed opponents last month and joined Democrats in criticizing Pulte.
Senate Democrats say they hope their strategy will give them enough leverage to win more Republican allies.
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said being in the minority is “a difficult dynamic for us.” “But I see Republicans starting to move a little bit.”
