White House signals it can live without border wall funds

The White House indicated Wednesday that President Trump could go along with a government funding bill that does not include money to begin building his proposed wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Senate Republicans are not planning on including the funds in a measure to keep the government funded beyond the end of April.

“That is our request,” press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday when asked if the wall funding is a deal-breaker for a must-pass spending bill.

{mosads}“We will continue to work with Congress on the rest of the [fiscal 2017] budget,” he said.

Trump requested $1.5 billion from lawmakers this year to begin work on the wall he wants to build along the southern border, a central pillar of his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration. 

But key GOP senators have said they will likely put that funding request on hold as they try to broker an agreement to keep the government running beyond the April 29 funding deadline.  

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said Tuesday the supplemental spending request that includes money for the wall will likely wait until later in the year.  

Blunt said adding the request for defense and homeland security money would complicate talks over the broader spending measure. 

 

 

Tags Roy Blunt

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