Wild card is whether Trump will take a hard line and demand funding for a wall
Congress returns this week for the final two-month stretch that is expected to be dominated by a fight over spending and immigration and a power struggle over the special counsel’s Russia probe.
In the wake of Tuesday’s elections, Democrats’ coming takeover of the House means each party has reasons to compromise this year and reasons to hold out. The biggest question is whether Congress will be able to reach a deal to avoid a partial government shutdown when funding for the Homeland Security Department and a handful of other agencies expires at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 8.
President Trump has threatened repeatedly to shut down parts of the government if lawmakers don’t agree to fund more construction of a wall along the border with Mexico. While Democrats have insisted they oppose building a physical border wall, they also have said they want to wrap up this fight before next year, when they assume control of the House.
“House Democrats support smart investments in border security, but we strongly oppose spending $5 billion on President Trump’s proposed wall,” Rep. Nita Lowey (D., N.Y.), who is expected to lead the Appropriations Committee, said in a statement. The relevant House spending bill would provide $5 billion for the wall, while the Senate bill authorizes $1.6 billion.
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