No deal yet to keep government going as Trump digs in on funding border wall and Pence flies home to help in crisis
Trump pushed lawmakers this morning to include funding for his border wall in a spending bill it must pass this week to keep the lights on
The White House has not threatened to veto legislation in which funding for the structure is absent – yet
Officials have made it clear that Trump expects the money he asked for, though
Pence is cutting short a trip from Asia, by way of Hawaii, to be in Washington; his early return indicates the White House is preparing for battle
Trump’s ask for $1 billion in starter money for the border wall has been met with resounding nos from Democrats, who disagree with it on principle and price tag.
Estimates vary wildly from nearly $22 billion, according to DHS, to $70 billion, according to Democrats
Democrats are asking Republicans leaders to drop the border wall from a resolution to keep the government funded through the end of the fiscal year
They’re willing to have a debate this fall when Trump’s FY2018 request comes up
By FRANCESCA CHAMBERS
DailyMail.com
24 April 2017
President Donald Trump pushed lawmakers this morning to include funding for his border wall in a spending bill it must pass this week to keep the lights on.
‘The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)!’ he tweeted.
The White House has not threatened to veto legislation in which funding for the structure is absent – yet. Officials have made it clear that Trump expects the money he asked for, though.
Vice President Mike Pence is rushing home from Hawaii today to help lead negotiations.
Having returned to Washington themselves from a two-week recess tied to Easter and Passover, Republican lawmakers are dashing to cross off big-ticket items on Trump’s to-do list before his 100-day mark.
On top of urgent appropriations negotiations, Trump is asking them to rally behind an Obamacare repeal bill and a tax plan he hopes to release on Wednesday.
The president and his aides have scoffed at April 29 as an arbitrary deadline to make good on a checklist of actions Trump said he’d take in his first 100 days, even as they’ve done pole vaults to meet it.
Pence is cutting short a trip from Asia, by way of Hawaii, to be in Washington by Tuesday morning. The former congressman is Trump’s emissary to Capitol Hill, and his early return indicates the White House is preparing for battle.
Congress must approve a bill this Friday that funds the government until the end of the fiscal year or continues funding at current levels for several days or a week while lawmakers to come up with a plan.
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