The Senate had the votes to pass legislation Thursday to avoid another government shutdown as voting continued.
When the vote is final, the plan would go to the House for expected approval. The measure would keep the government running through Sept. 30. Lawmakers and President Donald Trump have until midnight Friday to fund nine departments and prevent the second partial closure since December.
If the plan becomes law, 800,000 federal workers bludgeoned by the last 35-day shutdown would avoid even more financial pain.
Trump's signature on the proposal would at least briefly ease the fight over his proposed border wall — before likely legal fights over his plan to declare a national emergency.
The president has said he is "not thrilled" with the plan, as it puts only about a quarter of the money Trump wanted toward border structures. It would allocate $1.375 billion for 55 miles of bollard fencing, much less than the $5.7 billion the president wanted for a wall. The proposal also authorizes funds for more border security agents, customs officers, immigration judges and technology to detect drugs and weapons.
Outside of the Department of Homeland Security, it includes provisions such as a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal employees, a $1 billion increase in U.S. Census spending and $17 billion for transportation infrastructure improvements.
The Democratic-held House is expected to pass the legislation by a comfortable margin. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the party's leaders have supported it.
Some members of the Democratic caucus' left flank, such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., are expected to oppose it because it puts more money toward immigration enforcement.
Trump has spent recent days attempting to explain his apparent defeat in Congress on border wall funding.
The president has argued he can use money from other agencies to build the barrier. He has also threatened to construct the barrier with congressional approval by declaring a national emergency.
"Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!" the president tweeted on Tuesday.
from Top News & Analysis https://cnb.cx/2Gngyj2
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