Shutdown deal avoids political pain for Republican moderates
The Republican-led Congress avoided a political headache in the early days of Donald Trump’s presidency by passing an omnibus spending bill that avoided some of the more politically contentious threats to cut federal spending. The bill also included more money for border security, national defense, and opioid addiction programs, while cutting back on proposed cuts to education and other domestic programs. The bill also included a number of key policy riders that blocked the implementation of several key Obama-era rules, such as the Waters of the US rule, the ban on certain types of firearms accessories, and the Labor Department’s conflict of interest rule. The bill was also a major win for moderate Republican lawmakers, who were able to avoid a possible government shutdown and dodge much of the political fallout of deep spending cuts. The compromise also avoided a showdown with President Trump, who had promised to eliminate a number of federal agencies and funds. For Republicans in Congress, the passage of the bill allowed them to show their constituents that they can compromise and work with the president in order to get things done.