Congress Passes Bill To Prevent Another US Government Shutdown, Sending It To Trump
Congress passed legislation to avoid another government shutdown Thursday, moving to prevent one crisis even as the fight over President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall escalated.
The GOP-controlled Senate easily cleared the bill, which included only about a quarter of the money Trump sought for border barriers, by an 83-16 margin. The Democratic-held House approved the measure comfortably in a 300-128 vote.
The president plans to sign the proposal and declare a national emergency in an attempt to fund the wall. His expected executive action would in part try to appease conservatives who argued he should oppose the plan because it does not meet his demand for $5.7 billion to construct barriers.
The legislation would keep the government running through Sept. 30. Lawmakers and Trump have until midnight Friday to fund nine departments and prevent the second partial closure since December.
