Eager for 100-day wins, Trump eyes govt funding, border, taxes

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The threat of a USA government shutdown this weekend appeared to recede on Tuesday after President Donald Trump backed away from a demand that Congress include funding for his planned border wall with Mexico in a spending bill.

Congressional staffers. Staffers who work during the shutdown won't be paid until after the shutdown ends and their bosses pass a funding bill.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York, accompanied by Sen.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported, "Not a single member of Congress who represents the territory on the southwest border said they support President Donald Trump's request for $1.4 billion to begin construction of his promised wall".

Trump and his team had previously been resolute in their demand for funding in the omnibus plan.

Even though the wall may be indefinitely delayed, it seems that the issue will remain at the forefront of policy, especially if Trump's pals in the Senate introduce go-nowhere bills that will keep the wall in the news cycle.

The president's fellow Republicans control both chambers of Congress, but the current spending bill will need 60 votes to clear the 100-member Senate, where Republicans hold only 52 seats. Republicans are seeking an initial $1.4 billion in the spending bill.

However, Republicans also insisted on increases in border security and defense spending, including money to fix existing fencing and new surveillance technology to patrol the almost 2,000-mile border.

There are still several sticking points in the negotiations.

Democrats said they were anxious Republicans could try to attach language limiting family-planning funds or undo Wall Street reforms enacted after the 2007-09 financial crisis.

Partisan disagreements over the environment, abortion and GOP efforts to reverse Obama-era financial regulations continue to dog the negotiations, but both the administration and many congressional Democrats were hopeful of sealing an agreement relatively soon.

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Kim Jong Un's erratic, provocative behavior was particularly troubling because, Harris said, he's "not afraid to fail in public". At a House Armed Services Committee, Harris rejected reports that the Carl Vinson group is vulnerable to North Korean attacks.

Last week this looked like it could be the disagreement that would break the government.

Trump had told supporters Mexico would pay for the wall, but with Mexico refusing to foot the bill he now wants Congress to make a down payment.

The GOP aide said that Pelosi and Mulvaney restated their positions ‎last night, and said the Democrats highlighting this fight is a "negotiating tactic".

And Ms Conway confirmed to Fox News that the wall does not need to be funded this week, but remains a "very important priority". Mr. Trump claimed in his interview Friday with the Associated Press that the wall would stop illegal drugs from entering the country, and that's reason enough to build it.

Trump told a gathering of conservative media reporters Monday evening that he might be willing to wait until September for the funding.

"We agree on in our caucus to make certain that we are taking care of the coal miners and their healthcare benefits, to also make certain that we have a provision in there to help the people in Puerto Rico with Medicaid", said Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill. "And in the interim, you see other smart technology and other resources and tools being used toward border security".

Despite reservations from liberals and conservatives about the cost and complications of building a barrier on the southern border, Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his commitment to it. He was already aware that the Democrats were prepared to meet these demands.

"We're going to have the wall built", Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Exactly two weeks ago, Donald Trump publicly acknowledged a not-so-subtle hostage strategy he thought, at the time, would be a good idea.

As it is, there's still a chance we'll witness yet another game of "chicken" that Democrats and Republicans so often play when one side threatens to shut down the government unless it gets some polarizing policy passed or blocked.

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