Republicans clash as Trump ally bucks leadership by laying into ‘pipe dream’ DHS plan

Republican lawmakers were facing off on Tuesday over a path to end the partial government shutdown as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump bashed a GOP proposal his colleagues have hinted could be a solution. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called the potential agreement to end the five-week stalemate by funding emergency removal operations with a budget reconciliation package and reopening the Department of Homeland Security a “pipe dream,” The Hill reported. Scott argued that this proposal “doesn’t make any sense.” It was presented by Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) to Trump on Monday night during a discussion with the president and GOP lawmakers, and would aim to break up the funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prompt Democrats to agree on a deal that would fund DHS. Scott’s reaction has highlighted some of the infighting underway within the Republican Party. The Senate GOP has started to show fractures as “some Republicans worry trying to pin the blame on Democrats won’t produce a deal and could politically boomerang back on their own party,” according to The Hill. “While Republicans feel the shutdown was forced by Democrats, they also know their party owns the White House and both majorities in Congress and could suffer the blame — particularly amid the war with Iran that is already stoking political controversy,” The Hill reported.

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