House Democrats will offer $1 billion in funding for border security measures in a bill to reopen the government next week, a Democratic source told CNN on Saturday.
CNN reports that none of the money will be eligible for use in construction of President Trump’s signature border wall as Democrats view other border security measures as more effective.
News of the Democrats’ plan comes hours before Trump is scheduled to give a live address at the White House on border security and the ongoing partial government shutdown, which entered its 29th day on Saturday.
The bill would be the 10th Democratic bill to reopen the government since Democrats took control of the House this month, though none of the plans have made headway in the Senate due to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) refusal to bring up any bill for a vote without the support of Trump.
Speculation has swirled around the planned announcement over whether Trump will offer his own compromise package to Democrats, or whether he will instead declare a national emergency over illegal border crossings and seek to circumvent Congress to acquire funds for the border wall. – READ MORE