Shutdown politics return to the Senate | TheHill - The Hill

Senators are firing the opening salvos in a new fight over funding the government.

With President Trump releasing his first budget request Thursday, both parties are preemptively pointing fingers over who would be responsible if Congress misses a deadline in April to avoid a government shutdown. 

Republicans say it’s up to Democrats to play ball, while Democrats counter that Republicans have to be willing to reject some of Trump's proposals. 

“If they put those poison pill amendments in and try to shove them down the American people's throats, of course they might be responsible for shutting the government down,” Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles SchumerFox's Watters asks Trump whom he would fire: Baldwin, Schumer or Zucker Why Trump's defense budget is not enough to rebuild America's military Schumer on budget: Trump talks like a populist but helps special interests MORE (D-N.Y.) told reporters during a leadership press conference. 

Schumer said a letter he and other top Democrats sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellShutdown politics return to the Senate GOP leaders want details before funding Trump’s border wall GOP faces dilemma over ObamaCare tax credits in red states MORE (R-Ky.) should serve as a “guidepost” for how Republicans can work with them to avoid a shutdown.

Democrats outlined in the letter, which was also sent to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad CochranThad CochranShutdown politics return to the Senate GOP leaders want details before funding Trump’s border wall Overnight Finance: CBO score roils ObamaCare debate | Dems fire warning shot over border wall funding | Obstacles mount for tax reform MORE (R-Miss.), their demands for any spending bill: that Republicans avoid “poison pills” that would stir ire from Democrats and that any increases in defense spending be matched with a boost in nondefense spending.

“If Republicans insist on inserting poison pill riders such as defunding Planned Parenthood, building a border wall, or starting a deportation force, they will be shutting down the government and delivering a severe blow to our economy,” they wrote in the letter. 

Trump’s budget outline — which marks the formal start of budget negotiations between the two ends of Pennsylvania Avenue — drew swift opposition from Democrats, who warned Republicans against funding the president’s border wall or cutting off federal dollars for Planned Parenthood. 

“I will oppose efforts to fulfill empty campaign promises at the expense of proven programs that are vital to local law enforcement and national security,” Sen. Dianne FeinsteinDianne FeinsteinShutdown politics return to the Senate LGBT groups: Gorsuch more extreme than Scalia FBI director briefs top senators on Russia MORE (D-Calif.) said of Trump’s push to fund the border wall.

Sen. Dick DurbinDick DurbinShutdown politics return to the Senate Senate Dems introduce bill to rescind Trump border wall, immigration order Overnight Regulation: Dems press DeVos over rule targeting for-profit colleges MORE (Ill.) — the No. 2 Senate Democrat — added separately that “it’s time for Republicans to remember that Congress is an independent branch of the federal government that won’t be bullied into these billion dollar boondoggles.”

Trump’s budget outline calls for deep cuts at department and agencies that would eliminate entire programs and slash the size of the federal workforce, while boosting defense spending.

He also sent a supplemental request for the rest of the 2017 fiscal year, which runs through the end of September. That proposal includes an extra $33 billion for the Pentagon, building a border wall and the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Though Democrats are in the Senate minority, they can block any spending bill they object to by keeping it from getting 60 votes.

In 2015 and 2016 — the first two years that Republicans had controlled the Senate in nearly a decade — Democrats halted progress on spending bills more than a dozen times.

The partisan posturing comes as senators are under a time crunch to fund the government. 

Debates over repealing and replacing ObamaCare and Judge Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination are expected to dominate much of the Senate’s work heading into early April. Then, senators are expected to be out of town for two weeks and return to Washington five days before the funding deadline.

Republicans are tamping down speculation of a potential government shutdown next month, noting Democrats howled for years after the 2013 shutdown. 

“I'm amused by the Democrats apparently warming up to the idea that threatening to shut down the government is a good idea. It seems to me everybody's got kind of memory loss on the other side,” McConnell told reporters.

The government shut down for 16 days in 2013 after conservatives demanded that the spending bill cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood and stop the implementation of ObamaCare. 

McConnell stressed that Democrats would be part of the negotiations over the funding bill.

“They will have an opportunity to ball it up, once again,” he said. “I've been hoping the fever's going to break here at some point and we'll get into an operational mode. ... We haven't seen much of that so far.”

McConnell has repeatedly accused Democrats of suffering from a "fever" since the 2016 elections, which he argues is leading them to oppose almost anything partly in an attempt to satisfy their liberal base. 

Republicans will likely get help pressuring Democrats to come to the negotiating table. After top Democrats sent their letter to McConnell, The Washington Examiner floated nicknaming the Senate’s top Democrat “Shutdown Schumer.”  

But McConnell will also have to be on guard against any rebellion within his own caucus.

GOP Sens. Lindsey GrahamLindsey GrahamUS sends warning to North Korea — with China the likely audience What two GOP senators get right and dangerously wrong about Afghanistan Shutdown politics return to the Senate MORE (S.C.) and John McCainJohn McCainWhat two GOP senators get right and dangerously wrong about Afghanistan Shutdown politics return to the Senate Overnight Defense: Trump seeks B more for 2017 defense spending | Boeing VP tapped for Pentagon post MORE (Ariz.) are expected to push for more defense spending in the funding bill, which would likely face opposition from Democrats.

The Senate will also likely reject at least part of Trump's proposed 28 percent cut to the State Department budget. 

McConnell previously said a deep cut to State Department funding likely wouldn’t pass the chamber. Sen. Marco RubioMarco RubioMayor: Palm Beach may need to raise taxes to pay for Trump security at Mar-a-Lago THE MEMO: GOP breaks from Trump in 'wiretap' furor Shutdown politics return to the Senate MORE (R-Fla.) on Thursday said he opposes the cuts. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Dean HellerDean HellerShutdown politics return to the Senate Overnight Energy: Trump’s budget aims for a 31 percent cut for EPA GOP senator slams Trump's Yucca Mountain proposal MORE (R-Nev.) partnered with freshman Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) to send a letter to Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, opposing a provision in Trump’s budget that would restart licensing to store nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain. 

Heller is considered one of the most vulnerable senators up for reelection in 2018, with Republicans facing an otherwise favorable Senate map. 

Democrats who are up for reelection in 2018 will likely face a mountain of pressure to buck their party and support legislation to avert a shutdown, even if it includes provisions opposed by leadership. 

Yet Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) predicted that some GOP senators could ultimately become "allies" in the fight because the budget will generate a backlash in states that Trump won in the election. 

"If you look at the areas where Donald TrumpDonald TrumpJustice Dept to send immigration judges to cities to speed up deportations: report House Intel Committee 'satisfied' with info DOJ gave in wiretapping probe THE MEMO: Trump wiretapping controversy goes global MORE did especially well, they get especially hard hit by this budget. Rural areas get badly hurt in this budget,” said Van Hollen, who is also the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. 

Democrats are defending 25 seats in 2018, with both parties keeping a close watch on the 10 states won by Trump that have a Democratic senator up for reelection. 

Van Hollen specifically pointed to West Virginia, where Democratic Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinShutdown politics return to the Senate Former Hill staffer launches talk show This week: GOP works to corral votes on healthcare plan MORE is considered a vulnerable incumbent next year.

"I think this is going to be a wake up call to a lot of people who supported Donald Trump,” he said. “That his budget is betraying them and the commitments he made."