Democrats, meanwhile, are using the looming deadline to push for health care protections—and they were supposed to press their case directly to Trump this week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had requested a face-to-face meeting with the president to break the stalemate. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, shown in April. “Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand.”Democrats want to protect health care for millions. Last week, Senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ plan to extend current funding through Sept. 30 without touching health care.