Senate Republicans announce bill to end shutdown on Trump's terms

Associated Press in Washington
Tue 22 Jan 2019 12.39 GMT

Senate Republicans have released a measure designed around Donald Trump’s proposal for breaking a budget impasse, its centerpiece his demand for $5.7bn to build a southern border wall, which all but guarantees Democratic opposition and no foreseeable end to a partial government shutdown.

As the shutdown dragged into its 32nd day, a clear record, another missed paycheck loomed for hundreds of thousands of workers. Voting in Congress was not expected to unfold until later in the week. Even then it seemed doubtful that the 1,300-page Senate measure, the “End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act”, had any chance of passing swiftly.

Senate Republicans hold a 53-47 majority but would need Democrats to reach the usual 60-vote threshold for bills to advance. Not a single Democrat publicly expressed support for Trump’s proposal since he announced it over the weekend. Democratic leadership rejected it before he spoke.

Details of the measure released late on Monday highlight the trade-off of border wall funding for temporary protection from deportation for some immigrants. The Republican package would reopen the shuttered parts of the government and boost some spending. To try to draw more bipartisan support, it adds $12.7bn in supplemental funding for regions hit by hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.

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