Democrats propose plan to reopen US government

Nancy Pelosi (red shirt), leader of the House minority. Photo: WSP.

Democrats are considering passing a budget that would allow the government to reopen fully once they take control of the House of Representatives on January 3.AFPtoday news

Democrats are proposing to pass an administration budget through February 8 that would fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has overall responsibility for border security. They say the budget would give the president more time to reach a deal with Congress on border security. Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives after their victory in the November 2018 midterm elections.

The Senate has passed similar proposals in recent times, but Trump did not support them and they never made it to the House. "It would be the height of irresponsibility and political scorn for Senate Republicans to reject the bill they supported," Democratic leaders said in a statement.

Democrats also urged the Senate to pass the bill, creating conditions for reopening the government, and believed "the President will have to behave properly and sign the bill immediately."

However, the new Democratic draft seems uncertain, as it does not include funding for a border wall with Mexico, which President Trump has been trying to achieve to prevent illegal immigration.

Mr Trump tweeted that Democrats could come up with a “lovely” bill that would provide for everything but nothing for border security, including the wall.

Trump has claimed that Mexico paid for the wall through a new trade deal reached between the three countries, which also includes Canada. However, his explanation has not been proven.

The US Congress is on recess for the New Year and will resume on January 3, while Trump remains at the White House. The US President had to postpone his New Year's holiday with his family in Florida to deal with the government shutdown.

Democrats, meanwhile, say the border wall idea is a distraction from complex immigration issues and a tool for Trump to win over conservatives. Congress is scheduled to convene on January 2, before a new session begins the following day.

The House of Representatives previously approved $5 billion for border wall funding, but it is unlikely to pass the Senate. Republicans have only 51 seats in the Senate, while the budget bill needs 60 votes.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, said he would wait until a draft passed by both chambers and supported by Trump, to proceed to a vote in the Senate. However, observers assessed that possibility as being too remote.