WASHINGTON — House Democrats have come up with a plan to reopen the government when they take control of the chamber on Thursday — but without the $5 billion President Trump is demanding for a border wall.
The plan is to pass two bills — one reopening eight of nine closed agencies through September 2019, and another to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8 with $1.3 billion for border security.
That would allow for continued negotiations over the border barrier while the rest of the government continues to operate.
The GOP-controlled Senate passed that same measure earlier this month, but Trump rejected it.
Rep., Mark Meadows, chair of the Freedom Caucus and a close Trump ally, immediately shot down the House Democratic proposal, saying Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was simply putting forward a “wish list.”
“Nancy Pelosi’s newest funding proposal doesn’t represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise. A $1.3 billion Democrat wish list that includes zero money for a border barrier is a non-starter and will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse.