In December the United States experienced a partial government shutdown due to President Trump wanting funds for his border wall. Although the government has since been opened, there has not been an agreement made for the money needed for the wall. Recently, however, Trump has been working with Congress to come up with a compromise for wall funding. On Thursday, February 14th, the president is expected to sign a bill that grants him only a sliver of the money needed for the wall but avoids another government shutdown.
An Agreement
Wednesday evening had Republicans and Democrats alike working on a bill that would postpone the government shutdown that President Trump had threatened would happen back in January.
After a month-long partial government shutdown in January, the government re-opened despite not receiving funding for the border wall (which was the whole reason the government was shut down). President Trump signed a bill opening up the government again, with a looming threat of closing the government on February 15th again. “I think that by having the shutdown we have set the table. We’ve set the stage for what is going to happen Feb. 15,” Trump said. “Without a wall, it just doesn’t work.” [1]
Now it’s February 14th and Trump is singing a different tune. Although Congress hasn’t agreed to give over the $5.7 billion needed for Trump’s border wall, they have come to a “compromise” concerning the wall while avoiding another government shutdown. The agreement includes $1.375 billion for the border wall, which isn’t even as much as was included in a Senate package offered to the president last year ($1.6 billion). [2]
It’s up in the Air
Many believe that Trump will sign the bill when it reaches his desk tonight but he is known for his abruptly balking at deals after signaling he was on board with it. Agreeing to the deal would be a significant step backward for Trump who has previously said that he won’t accept anything less than $5.7 billion for the wall.
Right now President Trump could sign the bill to prevent another shutdown, which he has previously noted that he doesn’t want another one to happen. “I don’t want to see a shutdown, a shutdown would be a terrible thing,” the President said during a Wednesday Oval Office meeting with Colombian President Ivan Duque. “I don’t want to see another one; there’s no reason for it.” [3]
Or he could refuse to sign the bill because it doesn’t reach his demands.
Hopes and Prayers
Many think that it would not be a wise decision for Trump to sign the bill, Representative Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who leads the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, told reporters “it would be political suicide” if Trump signed the agreement and did nothing else to add more money to his funding.
Others hope and pray that the president signs the bill “Let’s all pray that the president will have wisdom to sign the bill so the government doesn’t shut down,” said Senator Charles Grassley from Iowa. [4]
Notes:
- ^“Trump on a Feb. 15 Shutdown: ‘We’ve Set the Stage for What Is Going to Happen’.” Government Executive, 14 Feb. 2019, www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2019/01/trump-feb-15-shutdown-weve-set-stage-what-going-happen/154560. (go back ↩)
- ^“Trump still coy on border deal but claims victory anyway.” Fulton Sun, 14 Feb. 2019, www.fultonsun.com/news/local/story/2019/feb/14/trump-still-coy-on-border-deal-but-claims-victory-anyway/765687. (go back ↩)
- ^Dana Bash and Betsy Klein, Cnn. “Trump intends to sign border deal to avoid another shutdown.” CNN, 14 Feb. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/02/13/politics/trump-border-security-deal/index.html. (go back ↩)
- ^“Trump expected to sign budget deal to avoid another shutdown.” http://www.wtol.com, 14 Feb. 2019, www.wtol.com/2019/02/14/trump-expected-sign-budget-deal-avoid-another-shutdown. (go back ↩)
