House Passes Stop-Gap Spending Bill, Ending Government Shutdown

The House passed a stop-gap spending bill on Friday, sending the bill to President Donald J. Trump’s desk and ending the longest government shutdown in American history.

The bill will fund the government through February 15.

Trump agreed to end the shutdown by means of a three-week spending bill giving congressional leaders more time to negotiate on a potential compromise that would fund the president’s proposed wall along America’s southern border.

The Senate passed its spending bill earlier Friday afternoon by voice vote and sent the bill to the House.

Congressional leaders also announced a conference committee to hash out their differences and hopefully find a compromise that would fund Trump’s border wall and could pass through Congress.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC), one of Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress, released a statement after the deal was announced on Friday and said that if Congress fails to find a solution to the border crisis, then the president can use his executive authority to secure the border.

Meadows said:

Throughout this process, President Trump has made numerous offers and repeatedly expressed willingness to engage with Democrats about a compromise—but failure to fund needed physical barriers along our southern border is still not an option. The President is sticking by his commitment to keep our communities safe and has assured me that nothing will deter him from accomplishing that goal. His resolve remains steadfast. Democrats now have yet another opportunity to come to the table and negotiate, where all Americans will be able to judge for themselves whether they’re truly serious about securing our border.

“If negotiations don’t result in a solution, executive action is still very much under consideration,” Meadows added.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), another Freedom Caucus member, said that the onus remains on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)  and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to negotiate and find a deal.

Jordan added, “If not, the President should use his lawful emergency powers.”