President Donald Trump has warned lawmakers that a partial government shutdown would be “damaging” and could “slow our Country down,” as Congress continues last-minute negotiations to avoid the scenario.
Senate Democrats and Republicans are working on six combined bills, passed by the House last week, to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the treasury, defence department, the health department, federal courts until September 30.
“The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown,” Trump wrote on Thursday evening,.
Democrats have bristled at funding the DHS without reforms to its Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Democrat of New York, seeking to remove the DHS funding bill from the others.
President Trump appeared to suggest such a move had been agreed, writing: “Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before).”
The House would have to approve stripping DHS funding from the spending package, but is on recess until February 2.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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