Senate Democrats say they would like to come to an agreement with Republicans to fund the Department of Homeland Security that reins in Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
But first, they want to know who their negotiating partner is.
They argue that while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, are ready to negotiate, they don't know whether the White House or Senate Republicans are leading the talks. And if Senate Republicans are, then they don't know who is leading that.
"We have different people going in different directions," Schumer told The Independent during a pen and pad on Capitol Hill. "They've got to get their act together. Show us this is who to negotiate with."
Ostensibly, Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins should bring out her talking stick and be the Republican counterpart.
Or Alabama Sen. Katie Britt. Despite all of the jokes and memes from a few years ago after her response to Joe Biden's final State of the Union, the freshman from Alabama wields significant power: she now leads the Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security.
But her counterpart on that subcommittee, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, is just as confused, especially since Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said they needed to talk to the White House about negotiations.
"Now he's saying talk to somebody else," he told The Independent. "We'll negotiate with anybody."
Murphy said his staff is working with Britt's and they have submitted their proposal to rein in ICE, but have heard nothing back.
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