Democrats warn against funding border wall in catchall bill
Published 9:10 am Monday, March 13, 2017
WASHINGTON — Top Senate Democrats are warning Republicans controlling Congress against adding billions of dollars for President Donald Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall to an upcoming $1 trillion-plus catchall spending package.
The warning from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and others came in a Monday letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. The letter also warns against adding other “poison pills” such as provisions to roll back environmental or consumer protections and urges additional money for domestic programs to match the administration’s planned Pentagon increases.
“We believe it would be inappropriate to insist on the inclusion of (wall) funding in a must-pass appropriations bill that is needed for the Republican majority in control of the Congress to avert a government shutdown so early in President Trump’s administration,” said the letter, which was provided to The Associated Press.
At issue is a huge package of leftover spending bills for the fiscal year that began back in October. Congress faces an April 28 deadline to complete the measure and avert a partial government shutdown. It’s separate from Trump’s upcoming partial budget submission for the 2018 budget year that begins on Oct. 1. That proposal is expected on Thursday.
While the letter says it would be “inappropriate” to include money for the border wall, it says Democrats would “strongly oppose” other provisions, including moves against Wall Street regulations or even an attempt to “defund” Planned Parenthood.