Democrats Reject GOP Offer on Shutdown Deal

The Senate will vote at noon Monday to end debate on a stopgap spending bill, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday said both parties, "have yet to reach an agreement on a path to move forward."

Schumer made the remarks following Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's announcement on the Senate floor remarks that there was officially no deal with Democrats, who filibustered the federal government funding bill on Friday.

"The shutdown should stop today," said McConnell. "So let’s step back from the brink, let's stop victimizing the American people and get back to work on their behalf."

The House and Senate were in session Sunday with a federal government shutdown in its second day amid a spending-bill impasse in Congress. The House is supposed to be on recess this week, but members stayed in Washington as negotiations continue.

The Senate will vote at noon Monday to end debate on a stopgap spending bill, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday said both parties, “have yet to reach an agreement on a path forward that is acceptable to both sides.”

Schumer made the remarks following Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s announcement on the Senate floor that he would be willing to start debating expiring immigration legislation if an agreement was not otherwise reached by early February.

“Should these issues not be resolved by the time the funding bill before us expires on February 8, 2018, assuming that the government remains open, it would be my intention to proceed to legislation that would address DACA, border security, and related issues,” he said.

“It is also my intention to take up legislation regarding increased defense funding, disaster relief, and other important matters. Importantly, when I proceed to the immigration debate, it will have an amendment process that is fair to all sides,” he added.

Democrats, who filibustered the federal government funding bill on Friday, want the DACA vote to be held before the February 8 deadline.

McConnell called on senators to “step back from the brink.”

“The shutdown should stop today,” he said. “So let’s step back from the brink, let’s stop victimizing the American people and get back to work on their behalf.”

McConnell spoke after meeting with several Republican senators and White House legislative director Marc Short. Short then headed to the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Ryan hasn’t weighed in but a House Republican aide said the chamber will take up whatever the Senate sends over. Several rank-and-file House Republicans so far have rejected making any commitment to vote on compromise legislation developed in the Senate.

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who had voted "no" on the first effort, took to the Senate floor to say he will support the plan outlined by McConnell.

Bloomberg News contributed to this report.