As negotiations to avoid a partial government shutdown next week continue, Democratic lawmakers have rejected a Republican proposal to spend $5 billion on the border wall over two years. “No matter how many years you spread it over, $5 billion for President Trump’s wasteful wall is too much money,” said Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Democrats won’t agree to more than $1.6 billion for the wall in any spending deal, and blamed President Trump for the failure so far to reach an agreement.
One possibility being discussed Friday is that lawmakers could pass six of the seven outstanding spending bills next week, while leaving the more controversial Homeland Security bill and its border wall funding to a later date. Congress could pass a continuing resolution for Homeland Security, keeping funding at its current level until the end of the fiscal year.
