Trump Admin Warns Against Wall Restrictions in Funding Bill

The White House warned Democrats not to include provisions in a stop-gap government funding measure that would restrict the Trump administration’s ability to build a wall on the southern border.

The White House Office of Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland said Tuesday that the Trump administration could consider another stop-gap continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government past November 21 “as long as it does not restrict authorities or abilities to pursue his [Trump’s] policy priorities, including wall construction.”

“We’re heartened to have continuing conversations with appropriate parties in Congress on the regular order spending bills, as well as a continuing resolution,” Ueland said before a closed-door Senate GOP lunch.

Congress will either have to pass its 12 appropriations bills or another CR before November 21 to avoid another government shutdown.

The Trump administration has asked to lift a restriction, which was included in the current CR, that places a limitation that requires any border wall funding to be focused solely on the Rio Grande Valley region.

Ueland reportedly dodged reporters’ questions over whether the administration would need the restriction lifted as part of agreeing to another CR.

President Trump declared a national emergency in the wake of Congress’ failure to pass an appropriations bill with a significant amount of border wall funding. The national emergency allows Trump to reappropriate defense spending towards building a wall along the southern border, thus fulfilling his foremost campaign promise.

Democrats and some Republicans have moved to terminate Trump’s national emergency to build the wall in September. In September, 11 Senate Republicans voted with Democrats to terminate the national emergency.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who is up for reelection in 2020, said that the vote to terminate the national emergency is not about “whether you’re for or against a border wall.”