President Donald Trump will sign the proposed Omnibus spending bill, White House officials confirmed on Thursday, even though the 2,232-page bill has yet to pass through Congress.
“Let’s cut right to the chase: Is the President going to sign the bill?” Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told reporters at a White House briefing. “The answer is yes.”
The budget director made a practical case for the Republican-led budget process, even though he admitted that it was not “perfect.”
“This is what a bill looks like when you have 60 votes in the Senate when the Democrats get a chance to take their pound of flesh in order to defend the nation,” he said.
Mulvaney said the $1.3 trillion spending bill funded the president’s budget priorities including a big boost in defense spending, opioids, border security, school safety, workforce development, and infrastructure.
Asked why the bill continued to fund Planned Parenthood, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short only cited the administration’s commitment to existing Hyde Amendment principles against funding abortion.
“I think this administration’s very proud of our stand for life,” he said.
Mulvaney defended the funding for 110 miles of new and replacement “bollard” fencing on the border, although he acknowledged that some of it was replacement infrastructure for existing fencing.
“Did we get everything that we wanted, when it comes to immigration?” he asked. “Absolutely not.”
He admitted that the administration was disappointed that there were no limitations in funding for actuary cities.
Mulvaney blamed Democrats for failing to reach a broader wall funding deal in exchange for a DACA legislative solution.
“What is clear at this point is the Democrats do not want a solution to this,” he said. “This a political weapon that they appreciate.”