Congressional Republicans are putting pressure on their Democratic colleagues to try and garner support for their proposed stopgap bill, which also includes six years of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to The Hill.
Republicans are now framing Democratic opposition to the bill as a stance against long-term CHIP funding, which expired Sept. 30.
"There's no good reason to punish children today by keeping Congress from passing CHIP reauthorization," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., House GOP conference chairwoman, according to The Hill.
House Republicans proposed a short-term funding bill to try and avoid a government shutdown, which will happen unless Congress passes the bill before midnight Friday. They have included CHIP funding to try and garner the support of Democrats, who are opposed to any bill that does not include protections for immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
"It shouldn't require this kind of fight to keep the government open and take care of children," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, according to The Hill.