As the March 14 government funding deadline fast approaches, the fate of the U.S. Agency for International Development and other key federal programs hangs in the balance. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, spoke to Devex to explain how Democrats are thinking about these high-stakes conversations, the angst among Republicans, and the potential for bipartisan cooperation on a climate tariff.
Whitehouse also weighed in on the prospect of blue states forming an “economic bloc” that could negotiate internationally.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.