Senate Struggles To Reach Agreement On Spending Package

Caitlin Emma at Politico reporting on X that, "Several GOP border-related amendments causing big problems," for the six-bill spending package which must be passed by the Senate today to avoid a partial government shutdown at midnight.

• Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) remarked on X in response to reports that the Senate has failed to reach an agreement on a vote: "Ask [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer [R-NY] because the hold up right now is that he doesn’t want to vote on my amendment preventing illegal aliens from being counted for determining House seats and electoral votes."
• Senate Republican Whip John Thune (R-SD) told reporters: "It's gotten a little complicated, unfortunately. Hopefully, in the next couple of hours, I think, we'll have an understanding of how ... we're going to finish this."
• Emma notes: "Both sides aren't ruling out a brief partial shutdown at this point. If this doesn't get done tonight, it will get done tomorrow, and the effects of a shutdown won't be felt."
• Although a short partial government shutdown over the weekend will have a limited impact, it could foreshadow more series problems for the next funding deadline on March 22 when the DHS bill must be passed and more disputes over immigrations are likely.