Trump’s border funding comes back from the dead
BY JORDAIN CARNEY
TheHill.com
06/13/19
President Trump’s request for $4.5 billion in emergency funding for the border is getting a much-needed jolt of momentum in Congress.
Appropriators are drafting legislation that would provide billions in humanitarian aid for the border, marking the first sign of movement on the issue since funding was yanked from a disaster aid package.
While it faces plenty of hurdles ahead, the package’s chances of making it to Trump’s desk by the end of the month suddenly look more possible.
“Hopefully the House Democrats will be amenable to working with us to get that done,” said Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican.
“It should have been in the last supplemental bill, it wasn’t because they objected,” he said, referring to Democrats. “They made it very difficult.”
The Senate appears likely to move first, with Republicans saying they will take up legislation similar to the administration’s $4.5 billion request in the Appropriations Committee next week.
The White House’s request includes $3.3 billion for humanitarian aid, which the administration says would be used to increase shelters and care for unaccompanied minors, in addition to processing arrivals. They’ve also asked for roughly $1.1 billion for other border operations like expanding the number of detention beds and providing more investigation resources.
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