Capito reports some movement in Washington on talks to reopen government

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito says she won’t agree to end the filibuster in the Senate even though President Donald Trump is strongly urging the Republican majority to do so to end the 36-day federal government shutdown.

“I certainly understand his frustration,” Capito said after an appearance Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline” that followed a breakfast meeting with the President Trump.

The filibuster rule requires 60 votes in the Senate to bring a bill to the floor for a passage vote.

Capito said she signed a letter in 2017 not to vote to get rid of it and she won’t.

“I’m in the no column right now. I’m one of those who is not willing to go and break the filibuster because I just don’t think it’s good for the country. I think it preserves minority rights. It gives you the right to stop things and we’re going to need that some day,” Capito said.

She does report some advancement with Democrats on appropriations bills that could break the impasse including funding SNAP benefits.

“There are three bills, one of which is the Agriculture bill, which carries the SNAP (funding) provisions in it. There’s movement that we might be able to get to that (Thursday) or the weekend,” Capito said.

The clean continuing resolution to fund the government that’s still on the table has a Nov. 21 end date. Capito said that will have to change in any government reopening plan that ultimately passes the Senate.

“I think we’ll extend the date on a CR because with the 21st we’d be right back at it. We’ll extend the date, that’s subject of concern on both sides of the aisle. Should it be December? Should it be January? That’s an internal point and then try to pass some of these appropriation bills,” Capito said.

Capito said once the government reopens negotiations can focus on the premium subsidiaries that have expired in connection with the Affordable Care Act. She said ACA has a lot of other problems that need to be dealt with including its rising cost but that’s not the priority right now.

“It’s not working, but for right now people that are trying to figure out how they are going to pay for this–the fact that it is not working is probably the least concerning for them,” Capito said. “They are thinking ‘I can’t afford this insurance’ and we need to help them with that.”