Democrats release Homeland Security funding bill without money for border wall
House Democrats are bucking President TrumpDonald John TrumpHead of anti-abortion group promises to spend M during 2020 election cycle Clyburn walks back comments about impeachment Transportation Department seeks to crack down on pipeline protests: report MORE with their newly-released Homeland Security funding bill, including no funds for border walls or barriers of any kind in the legislation.
House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey
Nita Sue LoweyHouse approves much-delayed .1B disaster aid bill GOP lawmaker defends blocking disaster relief vote during recess House Dems propose 3.1 percent pay hike for federal workers MORE (D-N.Y.) said the 2020 Homeland Security funding bill, released Tuesday, is meant to protect the nation's values.
“This includes upholding the rights and dignity of migrants, protecting against attempts by the Trump administration to steal funds from measures that actually keep us safe for a vanity border wall, and providing no funding for additional Border Patrol agents and checkpoints or border barriers,” Lowey said.
The bill is the opening salvo in a fight that could lead to another government shutdown over border security.
Earlier this year, Trump shut down the government for a record 35 days after Democrats refused to comply with his demands for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
In the end, Trump acquiesced to a compromise of $1.35 billion for barriers, on par with what was offered before the shutdown, and well below the amount he demanded.
Trump went on to declare a state of emergency at the border, which would allow him to circumvent Congress and use military funds to build the barrier.
House Democrats have included provisions in their 2020 spending bills that would block such attempts to reprogram funds to build a wall.
The $63.8 billion DHS bill increases spending by $2.2 billion over current levels, but comes in $1.9 billion below Trump's request.
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