McConnell calls on both sides to communicate, reach agreement as government shutdown looms

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With lawmakers on both sides of the aisle unable to come to an agreement on a clean government funding bill, the threat of a shutdown looms over the nation's capitol.

The short-term measure pushed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans would keep the federal government operating for seven more weeks — through the end of November. Lawmakers have until Sept. 30 to reach an agreement and avoid a shutdown.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have led the Democratic opposition to the bill, demanding immediate improvements to health care in the measure in order for them to vote in favor of it.

The opposing lawmakers want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in Trump's budget bill and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable.

But Republicans say that's a non-starter, with Trump laying the blame for the standoff on Democrats who he said are asking for something "that's totally unreasonable."

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, is calling for both sides to communicate and come to an agreement.

"It's never good, but it certainly shows how partisan things are these days," McConnell said at an event in Louisville Thursday afternoon. "The president and the Democrats are not even talking. They need to be talking and they need to be talking soon."

The White House Office of Management and Budget is telling agencies to prepare for large-scale firings of federal workers if the government shuts down next week. In a memo, the office said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next week, is not otherwise funded and is "not consistent with the president's priorities."

While certain core services remain uninterrupted, like Social Security, law enforcement and air traffic control, each shutdown has different plans for which workers remain on the job without pay until the government is funded again.

In previous shutdowns, federal workers not deemed essential were furloughed but returned to their jobs once Congress approved government spending. According to The Associated Press, a reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions, triggering another massive upheaval in the federal workforce that has already faced major rounds of cuts this year due to efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency and elsewhere in the Trump administration.

According to a report released Thursday, those cuts have had consequences. An annual survey by the Capital Area Food Bank shows the percentage of people in the Washington, D.C. area experiencing the most severe level of food insecurity has increased, exacerbated in recent months by cuts to the federal workforce and funding.

Once any potential government shutdown ends, agencies are asked to revise their reduction in force plans “as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,” according to the OMB memo.

Schumer and Jeffries said the OMB memo is an "attempt at intimidation" and that they would not be intimidated by the threat of mass firings. Schumer said in a statement that the "unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back."

Neither side is showing any signs of budging, and the House not expected to be in session before a shutdown starts.

Earlier this week, Trump canceled a White House meeting with Schumer and Jeffries, refusing to negotiate over their demands to shore up health care funds as part of a deal to prevent the looming shutdown. In a lengthy social media post, the president said "I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive."

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