Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby told President Trump Wednesday night that the spending compromise emerging in Congress this week represents just a “down payment” on the border wall Trump wants to build.
“I just talked to the President, and he was in good spirits,” the Alabama Republican tweeted. “I told him that I just signed the homeland security conference report and that it’s a down payment on his border wall. This is only the beginning of a multi-year effort.”
I just talked to the President, and he was in good spirits. I told him that I just signed the homeland security conference report and that it’s a down payment on his border wall. This is only the beginning of a multi-year effort.
— Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) February 14, 2019
The bill, which is expected to be released late tonight, will let Trump spend $1.375 billion on border infrastructure. Republicans say that’s money for Trump’s wall, while Democrats have said it can be used for “barriers.”
The exact details of what the money is for will be revealed when the final bill is released. Republicans and Democrats have indicated the language might fall somewhere in the middle and might let both sides claim victory.
Trump has said he isn’t happy with the compromise because he wanted $5.7 billion for the wall. But has indicated he will sign the bill to avoid another shutdown and will work to find funding elsewhere in the government to build more of the wall.
Democrats originally said they opposed any money for the wall, but appeared prepared to allow some funding for it in order to avoid another government shutdown. Disagreement over border wall funding led to a partial shutdown in December and January that spanned 35 days.
