Congress must meet without end for a federal decision

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Congress is expected to meet Wednesday without giving any idea of ​​a feasible plan to end the partial closure of a quarter of the US government for 12 days, and President Donald Trump not yielding to his request. for $ 5 billion in financing the border wall.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, back a short break from the New Year will meet briefly, marking the last day of the Congress 2017-2018 controlled by the Republicans, which was marked by a deeply partisan division.

In addition, Trump on Wednesday invited the White House's top Democratic and Republican congressional leaders for what congressional sources have called a border security briefing.

On Thursday, at the resumption of Parliament by Democrats in Congress 2019-2020, they plan to approve a two-part spending program to end the closure. But the outlook is bleak for the Republican-led Senate, which had already approved similar measures on the ground or in committee, but has since responded to Trump's requests to fund a wall at the US-Mexico border.

The bill paves the way for the first major battle of the new House Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi Congress and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Trump, a Republican, unleashed the closure, which began on Dec. 22, stressing that $ 5 billion allocated to the financing of the border wall would be part of any spending measure.

Trump believes the wall is crucial to the fight against illegal immigration, echoing his 2016 presidential campaign speech.

Democrats' two-part package includes a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through February 8 and providing $ 1.3 billion for border fencing and $ 300 million for other border security elements, including technology and cameras.

The second part of this package would fund until September 30 federal agencies that are no longer funded, such as the ministries of Justice, Commerce and Transportation.

The Democrats' measure in the House does not contain the $ 5 billion wanted by Trump. McConnell said the Senate Republicans would not approve an expense measure not supported by Trump.

"It's simple: the Senate will not send anything to the president that he will not sign," said McConnell spokesman Don Stewart.

The Democratic package could put Trump and his Republican allies in a difficult position. If they refuse funding bills for departments with no connection to border security, Republicans could be seen to be holding these agencies and their some 800,000 affected workers hostage to Trump's desire to build a wall that, according to the Democrats, would be ineffective and unrealistic.