Funding agreement reached to avoid shutdown, president to declare national emergency for border wall

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Senate passed a funding bill on Thursday to avoid another government shutdown. The bill now goes to the House. Before the vote, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the bill is a compromise no side will view as a perfect deal. “We’ll be voting to avoid a second partial shutdown and provide the certainty of a fully-functioning federal government,” McConnell said. “We’ll be voting to deliver another down payment on the president’s commitment to securing our nation’s borders and keeping American communities safe.” The bill does not include President Donald Trump’s desired $5.7 billion funding for a border wall between the United States and Mexico. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump will sign the bill when it reaches his desk, and take executive action, including declaring a national emergency, to get the rest of the funding for the wall. “The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country,” Sanders said. Democrats were quick to condemn the idea of a national emergency declaration for the wall. “Declaring a national emergency would be a lawless act, a gross abuse of the power of the presidency, and a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that President Trump broke his core promise to have Mexico pay for his wall,” U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.