Sen.Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is downplaying the prospect of a government shutdown over President Trump’s demand for border wall funding, arguing a closure would be short and only effect parts of the government.
Tillis said that because the Congress is making progress on some appropriations bills, it is likely to pass funding for much of the government before a September 30 deadline.
Congress may not get to a spending bill that covers the Department of Homeland Security, which would likely include money for a border wall.
In such an event, lawmakers could still pass a stop-gap measure to prevent a shutdown. If they do not, Tillis said it would only result in a partial government shutdown.
“When we talk about a government shutdown we need to be clear this is not shutting down an omnibus where the whole of government goes down. It’ll be those appropriated areas where the border security bill will be placed in — the provision will be placed in — or not,” Tillis said Tuesday.
Even if there is a lapse in funding, Tillis said, “it wouldn’t be a long term shutdown, we all know that.”
Trump for three days in a row has said he is prepared to force a shutdown over the border wall, though a report in The Wall Street Journal quoting an administration official said the president is privately agreeing to a scenario in which the fight over the wall would be punted until after the elections.
Senate GOP Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) shot down the idea of a government-wide shutdown.
“I don’t believe there will be – I don’t,” Cornyn told Hill.TV when asked if he thinks the government will shutdown over the issue of border wall funding.
—Molly K. Hooper
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