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| House passes $1.1 trillion spending bill | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Congress narrowly avoided another government shutdown Thursday night as a revolt among House Democrats nearly upended passage of a $1.1 trillion spending bill backed by President Obama. | |
| With less than three hours to go until government funding expired, the House voted 219 to 206 — approving the bill by just one vote. Senators planned late Thursday to approve a two-day extension of current funding in order to give them more time to work through arcane procedural rules, pass the bill and cap the least productive congressional session in modern history. | |
| The White House said that President Obama supports the bill and would sign it, but criticized lawmakers for relaxing some Wall Street regulations and making an expansive change to campaign finance laws. | The White House said that President Obama supports the bill and would sign it, but criticized lawmakers for relaxing some Wall Street regulations and making an expansive change to campaign finance laws. |
| A democratic revolt against the spending bill was evident by midday Thursday, when every Democrat present in the chamber voted against a procedural motion to begin formal debate. In a dramatic standoff, GOP leaders scrambled to find just enough votes to allow debate to begin. | A democratic revolt against the spending bill was evident by midday Thursday, when every Democrat present in the chamber voted against a procedural motion to begin formal debate. In a dramatic standoff, GOP leaders scrambled to find just enough votes to allow debate to begin. |
| The White House followed by quickly announcing President Obama’s support for the legislation. | The White House followed by quickly announcing President Obama’s support for the legislation. |
| But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) then dealt a stunning public rebuke to Obama, using a floor speech to announce her opposition. She said that Democrats were “being blackmailed” by Republicans to pass the measure with just hours before a shutdown. | But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) then dealt a stunning public rebuke to Obama, using a floor speech to announce her opposition. She said that Democrats were “being blackmailed” by Republicans to pass the measure with just hours before a shutdown. |
| “I’m enormously disappointed that the White House feels that the only way they can get a bill is to go along with this. That would be the only reason I think they would say they would sign such a bill,” she said. | “I’m enormously disappointed that the White House feels that the only way they can get a bill is to go along with this. That would be the only reason I think they would say they would sign such a bill,” she said. |
| Pelosi’s outrage was shared by a majority of her caucus also infuriated by several policy changes tucked inside the omnibus agreement released late Tuesday. | Pelosi’s outrage was shared by a majority of her caucus also infuriated by several policy changes tucked inside the omnibus agreement released late Tuesday. |
| Rank-and-file Democrats reviewing the legislation had lashed out Wednesday at language in the bill undoing a signature piece of the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul and allowing banks to more easily trade the investments known as derivatives. The financial overhaul enacted in 2010 ranks among the biggest domestic achievements of the Obama presidency and the formerly Democratic-controlled Congress. | Rank-and-file Democrats reviewing the legislation had lashed out Wednesday at language in the bill undoing a signature piece of the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul and allowing banks to more easily trade the investments known as derivatives. The financial overhaul enacted in 2010 ranks among the biggest domestic achievements of the Obama presidency and the formerly Democratic-controlled Congress. |
| Another controversial provision in the spending bill would permit a wealthy couple to give three times the current donation limits to the national political parties. | Another controversial provision in the spending bill would permit a wealthy couple to give three times the current donation limits to the national political parties. |
| At a closed-door leadership meeting Thursday morning, Pelosi and her team said they would try again to extract concessions from House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). Exiting the meeting, Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) said Pelosi was telling members to “keep your powder dry.” Summarizing the tug felt by many Democrats, the 84-year-old lawmaker said that he didn’t like the bill, “but I absolutely don’t like shutting down the government.” | At a closed-door leadership meeting Thursday morning, Pelosi and her team said they would try again to extract concessions from House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). Exiting the meeting, Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) said Pelosi was telling members to “keep your powder dry.” Summarizing the tug felt by many Democrats, the 84-year-old lawmaker said that he didn’t like the bill, “but I absolutely don’t like shutting down the government.” |
| Pelosi and Boehner spoke twice by telephone during the day, but Pelosi’s attempts to make last-minute changes were rebuffed, according to aides to both leaders. | Pelosi and Boehner spoke twice by telephone during the day, but Pelosi’s attempts to make last-minute changes were rebuffed, according to aides to both leaders. |
| In a scramble to shore up support, Obama, Vice President Biden and other administration officials, including Jeffrey Zients, chairman of Obama’s National Economic Council, began phoning wavering Democrats. Some lawmakers said they also received calls from Democratic members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, including its chairwoman, Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), and Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.). | In a scramble to shore up support, Obama, Vice President Biden and other administration officials, including Jeffrey Zients, chairman of Obama’s National Economic Council, began phoning wavering Democrats. Some lawmakers said they also received calls from Democratic members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, including its chairwoman, Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), and Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.). |
| White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough was dispatched to the basement of the U.S. Capitol to plea for support in person. Asked about the Wall Street and campaign finance provisions in the bill, McDonough told the Democrats, “We learned about these [two] provisions when you did,” according to aides in the room. | White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough was dispatched to the basement of the U.S. Capitol to plea for support in person. Asked about the Wall Street and campaign finance provisions in the bill, McDonough told the Democrats, “We learned about these [two] provisions when you did,” according to aides in the room. |
| Entering the meeting, Pelosi rebuffed suggestions that Democrats would be responsible for another spending impasse. “We’re not going to shut down the government,” she told reporters. | Entering the meeting, Pelosi rebuffed suggestions that Democrats would be responsible for another spending impasse. “We’re not going to shut down the government,” she told reporters. |
| Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), a close Pelosi ally, said that McDonough had tried to assuage Democratic concerns by arguing that the economy needs the “certainty” and “consistency” of a one-year bill. But he said many rank-and-file members vocally expressed their concerns with the bill. | Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), a close Pelosi ally, said that McDonough had tried to assuage Democratic concerns by arguing that the economy needs the “certainty” and “consistency” of a one-year bill. But he said many rank-and-file members vocally expressed their concerns with the bill. |
| “We’ve got to draw a line in the sand,” he said, adding he was open to passing a stopgap bill instead. | “We’ve got to draw a line in the sand,” he said, adding he was open to passing a stopgap bill instead. |
| “I think anything would be preferable” to the bill in its current form, he said. | “I think anything would be preferable” to the bill in its current form, he said. |
| Over the past two years of GOP control, minority Democrats have usually waited, wondering how intra-party squabbles might unfold. But in a rare political role reversal, Republicans spent most of Thursday on the sidelines. | Over the past two years of GOP control, minority Democrats have usually waited, wondering how intra-party squabbles might unfold. But in a rare political role reversal, Republicans spent most of Thursday on the sidelines. |
| Exiting Boehner’s office just as House Democrats began meeting Thursday night, Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.) said Republicans still intended to pass the bill despite Democratic disagreements. | Exiting Boehner’s office just as House Democrats began meeting Thursday night, Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.) said Republicans still intended to pass the bill despite Democratic disagreements. |
| “I hope we don’t have to change anything to it,” he said, adding later: “Let’s go govern.” | “I hope we don’t have to change anything to it,” he said, adding later: “Let’s go govern.” |
| Republican support appeared to grow throughout the day despite the objections of dozens of conservatives that the legislation would not punish Obama hard enough for using his executive authority to change immigration policy. | Republican support appeared to grow throughout the day despite the objections of dozens of conservatives that the legislation would not punish Obama hard enough for using his executive authority to change immigration policy. |
| Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.), the incoming chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, predicted that at least one-third of his group’s 170-plus members would vote no. He said he would be against the bill because “my constituents are telling me that they’re against it. I think that it would be hard to totally stop the president’s unlawful amnesty action, but I think we could try a little bit harder to fix it.” | Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.), the incoming chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, predicted that at least one-third of his group’s 170-plus members would vote no. He said he would be against the bill because “my constituents are telling me that they’re against it. I think that it would be hard to totally stop the president’s unlawful amnesty action, but I think we could try a little bit harder to fix it.” |
| The wave of Democratic opposition in the House appeared backed in part by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a popular figure on the left who voiced concern on Wednesday that the bill would sharply increase the influence of wealthy campaign donors. She said the bill reflected “the worst of government for the rich and powerful.” | The wave of Democratic opposition in the House appeared backed in part by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a popular figure on the left who voiced concern on Wednesday that the bill would sharply increase the influence of wealthy campaign donors. She said the bill reflected “the worst of government for the rich and powerful.” |
| Others, such as Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), who is traveling to Iowa on Monday as he mulls a 2016 presidential bid, said that he would vote against the bill. While it includes increased funding for veterans’ health care — one of Sanders’s top priorities — he called the changes in Wall Street regulations “totally absurd.” | Others, such as Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), who is traveling to Iowa on Monday as he mulls a 2016 presidential bid, said that he would vote against the bill. While it includes increased funding for veterans’ health care — one of Sanders’s top priorities — he called the changes in Wall Street regulations “totally absurd.” |
| “It’s more austerity for working people,” he said. “It’s a budget that does not reflect the needs of the working families of this country.” | “It’s more austerity for working people,” he said. “It’s a budget that does not reflect the needs of the working families of this country.” |
| Moderate House Democrats eager to approve the spending bill faulted Warren for stirring up trouble on the other side of the Capitol. | Moderate House Democrats eager to approve the spending bill faulted Warren for stirring up trouble on the other side of the Capitol. |
| “That’s what you do when you run for president,” said Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. “You get out front knowing that there are a whole lot of people who are not going to let anyone get to the left of them.” Moran added that Warren “knows as [House Democrats] know that their constituents have no clue about what this derivatives issue is all about. It’s a very complex issue.” | “That’s what you do when you run for president,” said Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. “You get out front knowing that there are a whole lot of people who are not going to let anyone get to the left of them.” Moran added that Warren “knows as [House Democrats] know that their constituents have no clue about what this derivatives issue is all about. It’s a very complex issue.” |
| Paul Kane, Sean Sullivan and Aaron C. Davis contributed to this report. | Paul Kane, Sean Sullivan and Aaron C. Davis contributed to this report. |