If you were hoping that maybe, just maybe, the death of former President George H. W. Bush combined with the whole holiday cheer business would spur Congress into action to resolve the impending government shutdown crisis now and get it over with, you will be disappointed. They just have more of an excuse to make the nation suffer with them right up until almost Christmas Eve.
The Republican House loves an excuse to not be at work, so that's what they'll be doing this entire week. No votes. All week. The Senate is back to work Wednesday afternoon. The House will, however, approve a short-term funding bill by unanimous consent. They do not have to be unanimously there in order to do so. That bill will almost certainly last until midnight Friday, Dec. 21.
Speaker Designate Nancy Pelosi argued for just a one-week delay, but Republicans who are still in control want two weeks. Although a formal, final agreement hasn't been announced as of this writing, that's certainly what will happen. Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer had been scheduled to meet with Trump Tuesday to give him their pitch, but that's been postponed. They have requested a Dec. 11 meeting. Until then, they've basically halted all negotiations with Republicans, according to a Democratic aide.
Trump's border wall tantrum remains the sticking point. He wants $5 billion for the wall, Democrats say they've only agreed to $1.6 billion for beefing up existing security, and that's all he'll get. It's $1.6 billion more than he should get. Schumer has pointed out that there's $1.3 billion in already appropriated funding that hasn't been spent. That should be their starting point for negotiation with Trump on Dec. 11: nothing.
Complicating matters, though, is the need to also pass a disaster package to address California's devastating wildfire damage as well as ongoing Hurricane Michael recovery in Florida. Trump's not going to have any problem holding those hostage to his wall. There's also the ongoing demand by some Senate Democrats that there not be a spending bill until there's a vote in the Senate on legislation to protect the special counsel's Russia investigation, though that effort hasn't gained much momentum.