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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has agreed to meet with the top Democrats in Congress as a government shutdown nears at the end of the month.
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, per a source familiar with the negotiations.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) demanded that Trump meet with them ahead of next week’s deadline to fund the government amid a tense standoff with top Republican laders, who have refused to engage in bipartisan discussions.
The Republican-controlled House last week narrowly passed a “clean” short-term funding bill, but Democrats rejected it and called it “dirty” because it does not address health care, including expiring tax credits for people who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
“With the September 30th deadline fast approaching, Republicans will bear responsibility for another painful government shutdown because of the refusal of GOP congressional leadership to even talk with Democrats,” the two Democratic leaders wrote in a letter to Trump on Saturday. “As a result, it is now your obligation to meet with us directly to reach an agreement to keep the government open and address the Republican healthcare crisis.”
The cost of living in our country is way too high,” the Democrats added. “Tens of millions of Americans are on the brink of their healthcare costs increasing by thousands of dollars per year, risking bankruptcy for many families. We do not understand why you prefer to shut down the government rather than protect the healthcare and quality of life of the American people.”
Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
Republicans, meanwhile, have accused Democrats of wanting to shut the government down by opposing the bill to keep the government running while lawmakers hammer out a broader spending agreement.
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Trump said over the weekend that he is willing to meet with the Democratic leaders but that he didn’t see the point in doing so.
“I will, but they don’t care about crime,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “They want to keep men in women’s sports. They want all this stuff. They don’t change. ... I’d love to meet with them, but I don’t think it’s going to have any impact.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates
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