3 hours ago
The Latest: Senate Democrats Are Ready to Reject Government Funding Bill Again Over Health Care
The Associated Press READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Senate Democrats are poised for the 10th time Thursday to reject a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government, insisting they won’t back away from demands that Congress take up health care benefits.
The repetition of votes on the funding bill has become a daily drumbeat in Congress, underscoring how intractable the situation has become as it has been at times the only item on the agenda for the Senate floor. House Republicans have left Washington altogether. The standoff has lasted over two weeks, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, even more without a guaranteed payday and Congress essentially paralyzed.
Democrats say they won’t budge until they get a guarantee on extending subsidies for health plans offered under Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They warned that millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance — such as small business owners, farmers and contractors — will see large increases when premium prices go out in the coming weeks. Looking ahead to a Nov. 1 deadline in most states, they think voters will demand that Republicans enter into serious negotiations.
The Latest:
What a new poll shows about Americans’ views on the shutdown
Most see it as a significant problem as it stretches through its third week with no end in sight, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows. And Americans are blaming all of the major players involved.
Roughly 6 in 10 Americans say Trump and Republicans in Congress have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, while 54% say the same about Democrats in Congress, the poll shows.
“Trump’s blaming the Democrats, and the Democrats are blaming the Republicans,” said Jason Beck, a Republican from Utah. “We’re stuck because there’s no middle ground anymore.”
The poll also finds that more Americans favor than oppose extending health insurance subsidies, which Democrats are demanding to end the stalemate. A large share, 42%, have no opinion, suggesting many are not closely following the core dispute.
US cruise ship operator says it’s avoiding China due to retaliatory port fees
Miami-based Oceania Cruises, part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told the Associated Press on Thursday that they are now “revising select itineraries” in Asia and replacing port calls in mainland China, due to new port fees that China imposed on American-owned or -operated vessels, which came into effect this week.
China imposed the tit-for-tat fees in retaliation for similar port fees that the U.S. slapped on Chinese-owned or -operated ships docking in the U.S. American ships are subjected to a 400 yuan ($56) per net ton fee for each voyage if they berth at Chinese ports.
“Ships can no longer effectively visit mainland Chinese ports,” an Oceania Cruises spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.
“We share in the disappointment of these necessary changes and are committed to providing our guests with itineraries that deliver exceptional destination experiences,” the Oceania Cruises spokesperson added.
