As many as seven Republicans joined all of the Democrats in passing two key bills to re-open government.
The first bill is a package of the six appropriations bills passed by the Senate in the last Congress for agencies other than the Department of Homeland Security. 7 Republicans joined to make its passage a bipartisan effort.
The second bill is a bill extending current funding levels for Homeland Security to February 8th, with funds for border security but no earmarks for walls. Five Republicans voted with Democrats.
Both bills will now head to the Senate. The substance of both bills is identical to bills passed by the Senate and sent to the House in the last Congress.
However, Senator Mitch McConnell has said he will not put any bills on the floor which Trump has not promised to sign, because that worked out so well for him when the Senate voted unanimously on the same bills, only to have Trump pull the rug out from under them when it went to the House.
Cory Gardner has already caved, with Susan Collins and others anxious to re-open the government. With Wall Street signaling a possible recession, Trump could well own more than the shutdown if he digs in and refuses to back down on the wall.
