House and Senate lawmakers Tuesday were no closer to finding a year-end spending deal that will ultimately depend on negotiations between President Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who have yet to meet.
Congress this week is poised to pass a two-week extension of government funding for a small group of bills that cover about a quarter of the federal budget.
The extra time, lawmakers hope, will provide enough opportunity for Democrats to work out a deal with President Trump on how much money to include for the construction of a southern border wall.
Prior to the two-week extension deal, government funding had been set to expire Dec. 7. Now lawmakers have until Dec. 21.
“Does that give us time?” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., pondered Tuesday. “I hope it gives us movement.”
“Talks are always ongoing back and forth,” Shelby added. “But, I think ultimately President Trump and Sen. Schumer are going to have to talk.”
Schumer, Trump, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were scheduled to meet Tuesday, but the sit-down has been postponed a week out of respect for late President George H.W. Bush.
In the meantime, Trump on Tuesday sent Democrats a message on Twitter to clarify his position that he wants funding for a border wall.
“Could somebody please explain to the Democrats (we need their votes) that our Country losses 250 Billion Dollars a year on illegal immigration, not including the terrible drug flow,” Trump tweeted. “Top Border Security, including a Wall, is $25 Billion. Pays for itself in two months. Get it done!”
[Read more: Border wall remains major holdup in spending talks]
Trump’s immediate demand is less than what he indicated in his tweet. He wants the remaining 2019 spending legislation to include up to $5 billion for the border wall, while Democrats are holding the line at a Senate-proposed $1.6 billion.
Pelosi, poised to become the next speaker when Democrats take back the House majority in January, will play an important role in the talks. But Schumer is the key negotiator thanks to the Senate filibuster, which gives the Democratic minority the power to block legislation.
Any agreement must ultimately pass the Senate, and that requires cooperation from Schumer.
Schumer said he wants to stick to the $1.6 billion and has the backing of fellow Democrats, including Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who has argued the government has not utilized all of the $1.6 billion already allocated for the wall in fiscal 2018.
“They still haven’t dug any dirt from the money we allocated from last year,” Tester said Tuesday.
Shelby said if Democrats and Trump can find an accord on the wall, the rest of the funding package should fall into place.
“My goal is the same,” Shelby said. “Try to fund the government, try to avoid any shutdown. And now we are planning to kick the can to the 21st.”
