Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York predicted the Democratic lawmakers behind the partial government shutdown standoff will lose “just like the last time.”
York appeared on Fox News Live Sunday, two days after the Senate averted a complete government shutdown as Republican and Democratic senators continued to negotiate the appropriations bill that funds the Department of Homeland Security.
“It is amazing we are talking about a government shutdown — we are in a government shutdown — so soon after the last one in which Democrats lost,” York said.
The first government shutdown, a historic 43-day stretch ending in November, was a complete shutdown that affected every government agency. This time around, only the Pentagon, State Department, and DHS are affected.
“And just like the last time, the American public wants the government to be open,” York said. “The party that attaches conditions to reopening the government — that is, it says we’re not going to let you reopen the government until we get what we want — that party loses.”
This was a reference to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) demanding that DHS be “dramatically reformed” before the House passes funding for the agency. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made similar demands.
The appropriations bill for DHS was the only one of six bills that was not passed, with senators agreeing on a two-week stopgap funding the agency while negotiations about reform are ongoing. Democratic lawmakers are requesting an end to masking for federal agents, a mandatory body camera requirement, and broader use of judicial warrants, among other things.
However, York recommended the House and Senate pass a bill before agreeing on reformations. The two-week extension must pass the House, which could lead to a longer shutdown.
“If you are making demands to reopen the government you are probably going to end up losing,” York said.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on Sunday he is “confident” a new bill will pass the House quickly. Johnson predicted the shutdown could end as soon as Tuesday.
In the House, the bill would only need a simple majority, though the GOP’s is slim. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican in a vote.