basquebromance
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- Nov 26, 2015
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Old St. Chuck? Schumer under pressure to deliver by Christmas
The Senate Democratic leader wants to wrap up the $1.7 trillion social spending bill for the holiday — which may well prove impossible.
www.politico.com
good luck with that:
Summing up Schumer’s breakneck negotiating pace, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) surmised: “We’re getting into that frantic stage. It’s usually a good sign.”
“It's tough,” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said of Schumer’s job, observing that the leader's stress “truly does depend on the day. He's been under some pressure. You can tell it from his voice. Other days are fine. I think this has been a good week for him.”
In the coming days, Schumer and his members must first finalize bill text, then finish fighting with Republicans on how much of the legislation will survive the scrutiny of a nonpartisan parliamentarian who may pare back immigration, health care and other provisions as noncompliant with the rules. Putting the whole measure on the floor will be even trickier, particularly as Manchin’s ambivalence vexes the Democratic caucus.
Schumer and Manchin enjoy a closer relationship than the West Virginian had with the caucus' last leader, Harry Reid, but there’s still an open question of whether the New Yorker can deliver his most vocal centrist’s vote after all of Manchin's critical comments about the bill. Democrats say it’s primarily Schumer’s job to get that 50th vote, though Biden will also speak to Manchin as soon as Monday.
“I have faith that Sen. Schumer can get Joe Manchin to yes,” Gillibrand said in an interview. “Before Christmas.”
Plus, the expanded child tax credit expires at the end of year without action on Biden’s domestic spending bill, threatening to cut off payments to families in the middle of the winter. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said that’s “the forcing mechanism. And Chuck's using it this way.” Meanwhile, he added, the high stakes of passing the bill are beginning to weigh on just about everyone in the 50-member caucus.
Sensing the burden on Schumer, Republicans are beginning to predict he can’t deliver a victory on time. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a longtime sparring partner, embodies the GOP's gleeful heckling at a moment of uncertainty.
“No. He’s not going to get it done this year,” Cornyn said. “Every day that goes by it’s going to be harder to do.”
Thus far, he’s also avoided an implosion on the Senate floor akin to the Republicans’ failure to repeal Obamacare in 2017. There’s certainly a chance that the next few days could culminate in failure, or at least a delay in floor consideration until next year as Manchin’s inflation fears slow the whole social spending bill down.
There’s a lot riding on Schumer’s repeated statements about a vote before Christmas. For now, Democrats are taking him at his word.
"He handles things. He’s a guy from New York. He figures things out,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Finishing the job with Manchin, added Brown, “falls to all of us. It falls most on him.”
