Democrats and Republicans Confident That Noon Vote Will Reopen Government

Updated:
noon vote government shutdown
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, second right, arrives at the U.S. Capitol during the third day of the U.S. government shutdown in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Jan. 22, 2017. Lawmakers failed to negotiate an end to the government shutdown Sunday despite a bipartisan effort to broker a deal, raising the political stakes as federal agencies begin closing at the start of their normal workweek. Photographer: Aaron P. Bernstein/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The clock is ticking on day 3 of the government shutdown and it looks like Republicans and Democrats in the Senate may actually succeed in reopening the government during a noon vote on a spending bill.

This morning we reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is planning to hold a noon vote on a spending package to reopen the government. With only 51 Republicans in the Senate, McConnell needs a handful of Democrats – at least 9 – to break the 60-vote threshold in order to reopen the government.

After McConnell announced his intention to hold a vote, word around Capitol Hill was that Democrats were going to maintain their obstinate stance of refusing to vote for any spending without a widespread amnesty provision that will provide legal protections to tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the country as minors.

Well, now it looks like the Democrats are starting to give. Multiple reports from Capitol Hill suggest that McConnell has rounded up enough votes to past the spending package that will keep the government open for at least three weeks.

First, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, who voted against the original spending bill on Friday, hinted that Republicans have the votes:

Next, Joe Donnelly, a moderate Democrat senator from Indiana, said that he thinks enough Democrats will support the spending bill:

Joe Manchin, the Democrat senator from West Virginia, echoed Donnelly’s sentiment, telling a reporter he thinks the government will open back up after the upcoming vote:

Lastly, Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware said that he is open to the new spending deal, and expects the Senate vote to pass:

This is all good news. This shutdown is totally unnecessary. It’s time to end it.

This is breaking news. The Senate vote to reopen the government is imminent! Share this story over Facebook now!

UPDATE- Watch the vote go down here:

By Jim E

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