Democrat introduces five-week funding bill to reopen government

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman-designate Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) on Monday introduced a continuing resolution to fund the Homeland Security Department through Feb. 8 along with a legislative package to fund the remaining agencies through the end of the fiscal year.

Both the continuing resolution for Homeland Security and the remaining funding legislation are expected to be taken up on Jan. 3 in separate votes.

The bills are expected to put pressure on President Trump and Republicans to at least pass the six-bill package that would reopen most of the government. 

{mosads}The legislative package includes identical language to what was seen in the six appropriations that have already passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with bipartisan support.

The continuing resolution, separately, would keep border security funding at $1.3 billion, much lower than the $5 billion requested by the White House for Trump’s border wall.

“Responsibly funding the federal government is one of the most important duties of Congress. This legislation fulfills that responsibility, reopens federal agencies shuttered by the Trump Shutdown, and ensures that the federal government is working for the American people,” Lowey said in a statement.

“When the 116th Congress convenes Thursday, our new Democratic majority will take the first step to ending the Trump Shutdown by passing this legislation, which has already garnered strong bipartisan support in the Senate.”

Trump has repeatedly said he won’t sign legislation that doesn’t provide ample funding for the wall.

The legislation is not expected to be taken up in the Senate without the president’s support, even if it passes the House.

The House already passed amended legislation that would provide $5.7 billion in border security funding just ahead of their Christmas recess, despite the measure lacking bipartisan support or the votes to pass the Senate. 

“It’s simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won’t sign,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) spokesman Don Stewart told Politico.

The new legislation was introduced on day 10 of the partial government shutdown, with negotiations between Democratic leaders and the president remaining at a stalemate.