An exuberant Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to Twitter on Tuesday to blame Democrats for the three-day government shutdown – and to crow about slipping more tax cuts into the legislation that ended it.
"Even the Democrats' government shutdown couldn't keep this GOP Congress from finding new ways to cut taxes," the Kentucky Republican tweeted. "Included in [Monday's] bipartisan bill was an additional $31 billion in tax cuts. Specifically, we delayed 3 onerous Obamacare taxes."
The Senate voted 81-18 on the bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, after McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed to end the shutdown and keep negotiating on immigration and government spending issues. President Trump immediately signed the legislation after it cleared the House.
McConnell also tweeted the bi-partisan deal paved the way for a broader discussion.
The government could shut down again after Feb. 8 if there is no agreement on a broader deal that would protect some 800,000 "Dreamers," mostly children brought to the United States illegally.
Trump and Congressional Republicans claimed victory in the shutdown war – as did Democrats, who insisted they helped save a child healthcare program. Many liberals and progressives have accused Schumer of "caving in" to Republican demands.
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