Hirono: Congress Must Resolve Shutdown Issues Without Trump’s Help
The Hawaii senator says the White House is vacillating, so the solution needs to come from the Capitol building.
On Day 2 of the federal government shutdown, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii said Sunday it鈥檚 time for her congressional colleagues to revisit their high school American government classes.
Congress is independent from the presidency, she said, a fact that seems to sometimes be forgotten by Republican leaders like聽Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
鈥淭he major sticking point is Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell saying we have to wait for the president to figure out what his positions are,鈥 Hirono told Civil Beat in a telephone interview. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why they don鈥檛 think Congress should act like a separate branch of government, which we are.鈥
There appears to be bipartisan support to take on issues such as and funding for the , but Hirono said Republicans are wary of making any decisions without the express blessing of the president.
That鈥檚 a dangerous proposition, she said, because Donald Trump often doesn鈥檛 seem to know what he wants when it comes to nuanced policy decisions, and has a history of changing his mind.
鈥淚 believe that when we send a bill to the president he will sign it,鈥 Hirono said. 鈥淏ecause he really doesn鈥檛 have much going in terms of where he is on just about anything.鈥
Hawaii’s other U.S. senator,聽Brian Schatz, issued a statement Sunday in which he called on Republicans to join Democrats in passing legislation to continue paying military service members during the shutdown.
Schatz said:
Schatz said the bill he is co-sponsoring also helps ensure that Department of Defense civilian employees directly supporting military personnel and operations can continue working and receiving compensation.
Meanwhile, Senate moderates in both parties were searching for a solution to the partisan stalemate as they raced toward a showdown vote scheduled for noon Monday EST.
There were no indications that a firm agreement had been reached, or that leaders of either party or the White House were on board.
Hirono鈥檚 office issued a statement Sunday saying she will donate any pay she鈥檚 due to receive during the government shutdown to 14 community health centers in Hawaii.
Hirono, whose annual salary is $174,000, said she also donated her salary during the last government shutdown in 2013 that lasted nearly two weeks.
Schatz issued another statement Friday night, this one specifically about the paycheck issue:
Hawaii U.S. Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Colleen Hanabusa said in a joint statement Saturday that they will not accept their salaries during the shutdown.
鈥淭he failure to pass a year-long budget and allowing the government to shutdown while playing political football with issues of humanity is inexcusable,鈥 Gabbard said in a statement.
