WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With a potential government shutdown looming, a tweet from President Donald Trump may hamper efforts by Republican leaders to win support for a short-term spending bill.
House Republicans are aiming to vote later Thursday on a continuing resolution that would fund the government through February 16th, avoiding a shutdown on Friday.
The bill includes a six-year extension of the popular Children's Health Insurance Program as part of an effort to get Democratic support.
However, Trump argued in a post to Twitter that funding for CHIP should not be included in a short-term spending bill.
'CHIP should be part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!' Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
The tweet from Trump comes even though an earlier statement from the White House Office of Management and Budget indicated support for the CHIP extension.
'The Administration supports the bill's multiyear funding extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP),' the OMB said. 'If H.J. Res. 125 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law.'
The conflicting messages about the CHIP extension are just the latest issue that could hinder lawmakers' ability to avoid a government shutdown.
Some Democrats have demanded that any government spending bill include a deal to provide protections for young illegal immigrants brought to the country as children.
Last week, Trump rejected a bipartisan proposal that would have provided protections for the young immigrants known as Dreamers while also increasing border security funding.
A debate over defense spending could also impact efforts to avoid a shutdown, with some Republicans arguing the short-term spending bill should provide more money for the military.
(Photo: Michael Candelori)
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