Democratic senators were adamant on Sunday that despite a partial government shutdown they would not relent and bankroll President Trump’s wall on the southern border, with one mocking it as a “4th century strategy.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said Democrats are “willing to fund border security” but not Trump’s campaign promise of building a wall on the Mexican border.
“The American people want us to spend money in a smart way. $5 billion is a lot of money. That’s 650,000 children attending Head Start. It’s 2 million meals a day for a year … for seniors,” “And to spend it on a 4th century strategy rather than on stuff that actually improves border security is something we’re just not going to do.”
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said he sees “no path” for Trump to get the $5 billion to pay for the wall.
“There is frankly no path toward his getting $5 billion in American taxpayer money to meet his campaign promise of a ‘big, beautiful wall’ with
Mexico,” “There is a path toward responsibly appropriating about $1.3 billion for border security.”
He suggested that Trump drop his demands for $5 billion and return to the $1.3 billion amount for border security he agreed to last week before🉐 suddenly changing course.
“[The shutdown] ends when President Trump recognized that the bipartisan agreement we came to just last Wednesday, that the Senate voted unanimously on, is the agreement he’s going to have to accept,” Coons said.
The White House and congressional leaders are deadlocked over funding Trump’s border wall, which he crowed during the campaign he would build and Mexico would pay for.
With no signs of a breakthrough, Senate Majority Mitch McConnell on Saturday adjourned the chamber until Thursday, leaving the government partially shut down until at least then or possibly longer if an agreement can’t be reached.