Rand Paul Shutdown Is Over Before It Begins

Though Republican Senator Rand Paul tried to enter last-minute objections which made the senate vote go slightly over schedule, US lawmakers did still manage to pass a two-year budget, meaning the country's second shutdown in three weeks could end before the working day begins.

As we look at this debate, my hope is that both sides will come together and say, "Enough's enough. This is the time. Tonight I say no."

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) February 9, 2018

The measures which thus passed the Senate and the House will now need to be signed off by President Donald Trump who had tweeted earlier this week to urge everyone into action stating a budget deal was most needed for the US military above all.

White House legislative affairs director, Mr Marc Short exclaimed that the foreseen package would increase spending for the US state administration by "just shy" of $300bn, though some in the mainstream media said the actual figure would be higher.

Most importantly according to US President Trump, the bill contains $165bn of additional defense spending and $131bn in domestic spending (which includes additional funding for healthcare, infrastructure whilst keeping the yes on the ball when it comes to the US opioid crisis).

Earlier, Senator Paul had angrily spoken against his fellow Republicans: "I ran for office because I was very critical of President Obama's trillion-dollar deficits."

Related coverage: Senator Rand Paul Will Shut Down Government .

"Now we have Republicans, hand in hand with Democrats, offering us trillion-dollar deficits. I can't in all good honesty, in all good faith, just look the other way just because my party is now complicit in the deficits."

Republican colleagues did not agree with him though, passing the bill just as President Trump had asked they would

The Budget Agreement today is so important for our great Military. It ends the dangerous sequester and gives Secretary Mattis what he needs to keep America Great. Republicans and Democrats must support our troops and support this Bill!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2018

The defeat is thus once again for Pelosi and her fellow Democrats, who did not get an agreement on DACA in exchange for the budget caps negotiations.

Representative Patrick McHenry of North Carolina said about Ms Pelosi’s loss: “She didn’t have a cohesive message… and at the end of the day, her team broke."

“It’s a fascinating display of a bipartisan win and at the same time, Democrats ripping themselves apart about a bipartisan agreement. It doesn’t make any damn sense.”

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