Crapo votes yes on 1 of 2 bills to reopen government; Risch misses votes due to flight delay

The U.S. Senate on Thursday defeated two competing bills to help reopen the government, which is now in now in Day 34 of a record-breaking shutdown.

U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, voted in support of a GOP-backed bill to reopen the government, but not the Democrat-led plan to temporarily reopen a portion of the government.

Idaho Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch was recorded as “not voting” in both votes.

On Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, was one of 10 House members to break rank and vote in favor of a Democrat-led bill to reopen the government. New Idaho GOP Rep. Russ Fulcher voted no on that measure.

The first vote today in the Senate, the Democratic proposal, would have reopened and funded a portion of the government currently closed through Feb. 8. It failed on a 52-44 vote.

Six Republicans broke rank and voted for the Democrats’ proposal: Lamar Alexander, Susan Collins, Cory Gardner, Lisa Murkowski, Johnny Isakson and Mitt Romney.

Crapo supported the second vote, a White House-backed proposal to reopen the government and provide $5.7 billion for the wall bordering Mexico. It also would have allowed for some temporary legal protections for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, commonly known as DACA, and some Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, holders.

The GOP measure failed on a 50-47 vote, with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin voting yes, and Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and Mike Lee voting no.

Both measures would have need 60 votes to advance.

Risch’s office told the Statesman that he was en route to Washington, D.C., but his connecting flight was delayed due to mechanical issues, preventing him from getting there in time for today’s vote.

“I intended to support the President’s compromise proposal to immediately end the shutdown and fund a border wall,” Risch said in a statement. “I do not support government shutdowns and have made that clear since my first days in the Senate as a consistent cosponsor of the End Government Shutdowns Act.”

He said this shutdown could have ended, but Democrats have so far “refused to negotiate with Republicans or extend a good-faith offer to physically secure our border.“

“We were elected to govern and even in these tough circumstances that should be our first goal,” he said. “I will cast votes as we work to end this shutdown that accomplishes that goal.

Risch said his intended vote has been recorded in the Congressional Record.

Crapo issued the following statement after the vote:

“I have consistently supported measures that would secure our borders and provide safety for those seeking asylum or to otherwise legally enter the United States. My vote today was no different. The process of collaboration often succeeds as a way of achieving consensus on difficult public policy matters. Today’s proposal contained bipartisan approaches to re-opening the government, while also addressing the president’s call for border security. This bill included necessary investments in border security, additional immigration measures previously supported by both Democrats and Republicans, funding for closed portions of the government through the remainder of the fiscal year, and an extension of the Violence Against Women Act of which I have been a long-time proponent.

“Although I am disappointed in the outcome of the failed vote, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation that will adequately address the president’s push for border security and reopen the remaining portions of the government as quickly as possible.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2019 at 3:09 PM.