Conservatives have laid bare their disappointment and frustration with the omnibus spending deal that President Trump ultimately signed Friday afternoon, in large part because of their inability to win funding for a border wall in what might have been their last chance before the 2018 midterms.
“In simple terms, we funded what we said we wouldn’t, and we didn’t fund what we said we would. It’s that basic,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a leading figure in the House Freedom Caucus. He noted that funding for Planned Parenthood, sanctuary cities, and even legislation to require more reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System were included in the budget bill.
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“We didn’t fund the big thing we campaigned on, which is the border security law. … That is a pretty bad way to go because it’s not even close to being consistent with what the voters elected us to do.” said Jordan. He said it’s “going to be tough” to get the $25 billion the president has sought for construction of the wall at this point.
Ahead of the Thursday vote, conservatives were warning the president that the deal coming to his desk was insufficient. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., chairman of the Freedom Caucus, took particular issue with the lack of border funding and said his supporters cared much more about that than the Gateway tunnel project championed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
The GOP’s failure is being viewed by some as something that will depress the base, those voters who are ardent supporters of the president’s immigration views but now might stay home in November.
“Well, they’re going to be discouraged by that,” said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio. But he believes that the wall funding is the least of their concerns with the base coming out of this agreement.
“I think people are going to be more upset that we put gun control in a bill,” Davidson said, pointing to the “Fix NICS” provision Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, got included in the bill.
At the moment, Republicans hold a 23-seat seat edge over Democrats after Rick Saccone officially conceded to Congressman-elect Conor Lamb, D-Pa., this week, and as Democratic energy continues to percolate and make life tough for Republicans.
A major concern of some Republicans as they move toward the midterms is the lack of an ambitious agenda after the omnibus. In the House, outside of a bipartisan banking reform bill the Senate passed recently, major legislation is not on the table.
Meanwhile, the Senate is likely to focus on nominations to the administration and judiciary in the coming months. Members worry that this is not a good follow-up to the tax reform bill that Republicans expect to run on this fall.
“I don’t think we should just padlock the place and go home, I think there’s a quite a bit to do and quite a bit that can get done,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., arguing that there are important things on the agenda in the months ahead, including the banking bill.
Members are currently on recess and return to Washington on April 9.
