President Obama is meeting with the top four leaders of Congress Monday afternoon to negotiate an election-season agreement to keep the government open beyond Sept. 30, including the likely addition of more than $1 billion to address the Zika crisis.
A temporary spending bill must pass to avert a government shutdown, and lawmakers in both parties are eager to leave Washington soon so vulnerable incumbents can campaign for re-election. Congress returned to Washington only last week after a seven-week summer recess.
Mr. Obama has invited Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, both Republicans, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, both Democrats, to break the funding deadlock.
Mr. Obama also is expected to push for two priorities that are all but dead on the congressional calendar — approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal and confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. The president returned Friday from a nine-day trip to Asia where he said the trade agreement with 11 other Pacific rim nations is crucial to U.S. credibility in the region.
Most Democratic lawmakers oppose the TPP, and Mr. McConnell has ruled out a vote on the legislation even in the lame-duck session after the election. Mr. McConnell also has vowed that the Senate will not take up the confirmation of Judge Garland, saying the next president should have the opportunity to fill the vacancy created by the death in February of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Democrats have opposed a Republican-backed provision restricting any Zika funding from going to Planned Parenthood affiliates in Puerto Rico. More than 670 pregnant women in the U.S. have the virus that causes severe birth defects, leading to the birth of at least 17 babies with microcephaly so far.
During his recent trip to Asia, Obama repeatedly called on Congress to pass what the White House considers a legacy-burnishing deal.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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