U.S. government may shut down early Saturday over DHS funding. What to

The U.S. government is on the brink of a partial shutdown beginning at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday in large part because of a second recent killing of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis. It would be different than last year’s shutdown.

The killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, has galvanized fierce Senate Democratic opposition to a House-passed measure providing funding for the Department of Homeland Security and a slew of other agencies. The more-than-$1.2 trillion package cleared the House of Representatives last week and accounts for the bulk of government spending for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30.

Democratic support will be required to pass the bill, which needs 60 votes to avert the filibuster in the Senate that Republicans control 53-47. Democrats are demanding the DHS portion be stripped in exchange for their votes, something Republicans have signaled they will not do.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., suggested on Tuesday that the Trump administration’s recent retreat from its immigration actions in Minnesota would not be enough to drop the shutdown threat — raising the shutdown odds even higher.

“The fix should come from Congress; the public can’t trust the administration to do the right thing on its own,” Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor.

“In the meantime, I will vote no on any legislation that funds ICE until it is reined in and overhauled, and Senate Democrats are overwhelmingly united on this issue,” Schumer said. “If [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune insists on holding a vote on DHS legislation that he knows will not pass, then he will guarantee yet another unnecessary government shutdown this Friday.”

Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday on the Senate floor that Pretti’s death was a “tragedy” and warrants a “full and impartial investigation.” He also said talks are underway to break a Democratic logjam of the appropriations bill.

“Productive talks are ongoing, and I urge my Democrat colleagues to continue their engagement and find a path forward that will avoid a needless shutdown,” Thune said.

If the Senate alters the bill at all, it would have to be reapproved by the House, which is out on a prescheduled recess and has not announced plans to return before the deadline.

In addition to DHS, the bill would fund the departments of Defense, Treasury, State, Health and Human Services, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education.

Should the bill not pass by the Friday night deadline, those agencies would be deprived of funding and enter a shutdown posture — meaning “nonessential” employees would be furloughed and “essential” employees would work without pay. Spending bills that President Donald Trump already signed would keep the rest of the government open.

“Activities that are necessary to protect life and property continue, although the workers in those functions may not be paid while they are working,” said Caleb Quakenbush, associate director of economic…