Schumer and Collins Trade Blame as Defense Spending Talks Stall

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats intend to press hard on the Trump administration’s request for a large increase in defense spending. He said the administration must reach a reasonable top-line agreement with Sen. Patty Murray and Sen.

Susan Collins on the ratio of defense and non-defense spending. Schumer stated that the administration has asked for a huge defense increase that a lot of its own members do not support. , and Collins, R-Maine, who are negotiating government funding.

Collins said she has made multiple offers to Murray that have been rejected. She said the rejections make her question whether Democrats are simply trying to delay action on all of the bills. Negotiations over defense spending have raised questions about whether there will be another government shutdown in October.