More than a week into the federal government shutdown, President Donald Trump has yet to follow through on his previous promises to make vast, permanent cuts to the federal workforce. That may be due to pressure from within his own party.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that, according to several unnamed Republican sources, GOP leaders in Congress have been urging Trump to hold off on his promises to allow Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to fire thousands of workers in the event of a shutdown. The OMB chief had previously said that he wanted to drastically shrink the federal civil service during a shutdown, as opposed to previous shutdowns in which workers were only subjected to temporary furloughs.
However, the Journal's Natalie Andrews, Meredith McGraw and Lindsay Wise reported that such mass firings "could backfire with the public." Republicans also reportedly told Trump that significant layoffs could "cause voters to blame Republicans for the shutdown."
While Trump hasn't yet followed through on his threat to order mass firings, he has suggested that he may try to deny back pay to federal workers who lost money due to the shutdown. But despite Trump's threats, Democrats have so far held fast and are refusing to vote for any government funding bill without a guaranteed extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits due to expire this year.
Health insurance premiums could more than double for many Americans once the open enrollment period begins on November 1. Even far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has called on her party to come to the table to negotiate an extension with Democrats, saying her adult children's health insurance premiums are expected to skyrocket unless the ACA tax credits are renewed. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) has hinted that he would be open to a short-term extension in order to reopen the government.
“The solution to this is not going to be about what threat you issue,” Cramer told the Journal. “The solution is going to be about what off ramp we provide [Democrats] that they can save some face, be assured that for the first year, there’s not going to be a reduction in the premium tax credit.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has promised that his party will continue to reject any government funding bill that doesn't include an ACA tax credit extension. And he acknowledged that the Republican Party was splintering over the issue.
“Our Republican colleagues, House, Senate, White House, are feeling the heat,” Schumer said Wednesday. “They are having all kinds of fractures within themselves.”
Click here to read the Journal's article in its entirety (subscription required).