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GOP leaders see finish line on omnibus deal | TheHill

posted onMarch 20, 2018
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Article snippet: House GOP leaders said they’re putting the finishing touches on an enormous 2018 spending bill, predicting the few remaining snags will be ironed out as early as Monday night.   Finalizing a bipartisan omnibus agreement would set the stage for both chambers to vote on the $1.2 trillion package before Friday, when government funding is scheduled to expire.  “We’re in good shape. … We’re really at the very highest levels now [and] I think most of these issues are settled,” Rep. MORE (R-Okla.), a senior appropriator, said Monday evening as he left a GOP conference meeting in the basement of the Capitol. “They’re scrambling, working really hard to try to get them done so they can file tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.” House Majority Leader MORE (R-Calif.) said the Republicans would adhere to their internal 72-hour rule — stipulating that legislation must be introduced three days ahead of a floor vote — regardless when the bill officially emerges. “If if it's able to be filed by before midnight tonight, we'll vote on it Wednesday. If not, we'll vote on it Thursday,” McCarthy said. While the package has not been finalized — and some provisions remain in flux — the negotiators appear to have winnowed the possible “poison pills” down to just a handful. Catering to their own conference, GOP leaders rejected a Democratic entreaty to fund certain ObamaCare subsidies granted to insurance companies serving low-income patients. Conservative Republicans had insisted that an... Link to the full article to read more

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