Overnight Finance: Dems seek probe of acting SEC chief | Defense hawks say they won’t back short-term funding | Senate seen as start point for Trump infrastructure plan | Dems want more money for IRS

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.

“We will continue to work with Congress on the rest of the [fiscal 2017] budget,” he said. The Hill’s Jordan Fabian has more here: http://bit.ly/2nkJ4or

Senate Dems seek probe of acting SEC chairman: Four Senate Banking Committee Democrats on Wednesday called for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) internal watchdog to investigate the agency’s acting chairman, Michael Piwowar.

{mosads}In a letter to SEC inspector general Carl Hoecker, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Bob Menendez (N.J.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) wrote that they’re “concerned that [Piwowar’s] actions may lack adequate justification, undermine the SEC’s mission, exceed his authority as Acting Chairman, violate other procedural requirements, and could potentially prove to be a waste of the SEC staff’s precious time and resources.”

Piwowar has taken unusually aggressive steps to reel in SEC rules during his short tenure as acting chairman. I explain here: http://bit.ly/2ozjnAT.

Dem senator wants Intel panel to probe financial ties between Trump, Russia: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is publicly pushing the top two members of the Senate Intelligence Committee to include a probe of any financial ties between President Trump and Moscow as part of its ongoing investigation.

Wyden, who is a member of the committee, sent a letter on Wednesday to Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) asking that they look into “any and all financial relationships” between Trump and Russia.

“I am writing to urge that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in its inquiry into Russia’s interference in the U.S. election, conduct a thorough review of any and all financial relationships between Russia and President Trump and his associates,” he wrote. The Hill’s Jordain Carney has the story: http://bit.ly/2nhYl8J

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Overnight Finance. I’m Sylvan Lane, and here’s your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line.

Tonight’s highlights include a bill to help IRS whistleblowers, a call for more IRS funding and changes to a program meant to help poor areas get internet access.

See something I missed? Let me know at slane@digital-staging.thehill.com or tweet me @SylvanLane. And if you like your newsletter, you can subscribe to it here: http://bit.ly/1NxxW2N.

Senate seen as starting point for Trump’s infrastructure plan: Transportation leaders believe that President’s Trump $1 trillion infrastructure package should start in the Senate after the House GOP’s bruising defeat on healthcare last week.

Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), speaking during an infrastructure event hosted by The Hill and the Canadian American Business Council, said that the best path forward for infrastructure is likely across the Capitol, though that doesn’t mean House lawmakers won’t have a role in shaping Trump’s proposal.

“I don’t think the president is going to spend a lot of time in the short-term developing plans with the House on what to do, given the recent experience,” Delaney said Wednesday. The Hill’s Melanie Zanona has more from the event here: http://bit.ly/2o9tlMM

McCain and Graham: We won’t back short-term government funding bill: A pair of Senate Republicans are signaling they will not support a short-term funding bill ahead of next month’s deadline to avoid a government shutdown. 

GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and John McCain (Ariz.) — two of the Senate’s most vocal defense hawks — said separately that they would oppose a continuing resolution (CR) over concerns about its impacts on the Pentagon. 

“It would decimate the ability to defend the nation and it would put the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk,” McCain, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, told The Hill. 

Graham separately told reporters that he wouldn’t back a CR, even if it funded the government through the end of the end of September, over similar concerns: http://bit.ly/2ozzRJh.

Dems seek more money for IRS: A group of House Democrats is calling for a funding increase for the IRS, after President Trump’s budget proposed a slight funding reduction for the agency.

“It is time for Congress to increase funding that allows the IRS to provide timely taxpayer services; invest in advanced technology to combat the growing problem of refund overpayments, specifically identity theft refund fraud; adequately fund tax enforcement and oversight responsibilities including addressing cybersecurity threats; provide resources for investment; and lower our national debt,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter dated Wednesday. Here’s more from The Hill’s Naomi Jagoda: http://bit.ly/2ozmGrM.

GOP lawmaker calls for canceling recess ahead of shutdown deadline: A freshman House Republican is calling on Congress to cancel its spring recess that starts at the end of next week ahead of the looming deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said in a House floor speech on Wednesday that lawmakers should stay in Washington until they find a way to keep the government funded past April 28.

Both the House and Senate will have been in session for six consecutive weeks before leaving next Thursday for a two-week Easter recess.

That means both chambers will only spend a total of about eight days in session in April before government funding runs out at the end of the month. The Hill’s Cristina Marcos takes us there: http://bit.ly/2ozjAEb.

Senators offer bill aimed at helping IRS whistleblowers: Two top members of the Senate Finance Committee introduced a bill on Wednesday to help whistleblowers that report suspected tax fraud to the IRS.

The legislation, sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), would enhance communication between the IRS and whistleblowers. It would also provide IRS whistleblowers with the anti-workplace retaliation protections that are already given to whistleblowers in other fields.

“Whistleblowers are a crucial line of defense against waste, fraud and abuse,” Wyden said in a statement. “This legislation will strengthen protections for employees of companies who come forward to report tax evasion. Empowering these whistleblowers is key to rooting out bad actors who are breaking the law by dodging their taxes.” Naomi Jagoda explains: http://bit.ly/2ozmYih.

FCC head delivers more changes to internet subsidy program: The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is moving to allow states to decide which companies can participate in a program to provide subsidized internet to low-income households.

On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he would allow states to determine eligibility for the Lifeline program, saying they should have responsibility.

“[A]s we implement the Lifeline program — as with any program we administer — we must follow the law,” Pai said in a statement. “And the law here is clear: Congress gave state governments, not the FCC, the primary responsibility for approving which companies can participate in the Lifeline program under Section 214 of the Communications Act.”

Pai also noted that twelve states are already challenging the FCC’s role in picking which companies can take part in Lifeline. He said he would drop the FCC’s defense.

His moves sparked criticism from Democrats. The Hill’s Ali Breland reports: http://bit.ly/2ozocKe.

Join us Wednesday, May 3 for “Main Street Matters: Jobs, Wages & the Small Business Economy,” featuring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). Topics of discussion include job creation, wages and the kinds of policies that can help small businesses thrive in the United States. RSVP Here.

Write us with tips, suggestions and news: slane@digital-staging.thehill.com, vneedham@digital-staging.thehill.com, and njagoda@digital-staging.thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @SylvanLane,  @VickofTheHill and @NJagoda.