President Donald Trump won't sign legislation to prevent another government shutdown if it includes back pay for contractors who lost work in the longest closing in American history, a GOP lawmaker said Wednesday.
Democrats were trying to get backpay for contractors in the final language of the bill that will fund border security and other government departments.
But Republican Sen. Roy Blunt said he was told the president would not back the effort.
'I've been told the president won't sign that,' Blunt said, adding 'I guess federal contractors are different in his view than federal employees.'
Thousands of federal workers went without pay in December and January during the 35 day shutdown. Full time federal employees usually receive back pay but federal contractors do not.
Congressional staff are working to finalize the legislation in order for lawmakers to vote on it in time for Friday's deadline to prevent another shutdown.
'We'll be looking for landmines, because you could have that,' Trump said, indicating his advisors would be scrubbing legislation to fund the government in search of any surprises. Trump said he would take a 'very serious' look at bipartisan legislation to fund the government
Earlier Wednesday Trump said he is taking a 'very serious' look at a bipartisan compromise deal to give him just a quarter of the $5.7 billion he wants for a border wall – following reports sourced to his advisors that he is preparing to sign it.
'We haven't gotten it yet,' Trump said, in reference to the bipartisan compromise that has yet to be turned into final bill language. 'We'll take a very serious look at it,' Trump added during a meeting with the president of Colombia.
He said he would look for 'landmines' surreptitiously buried in the legislation negotiated by Republicans and Democrats from both chambers of Congress, but would not formally commit to signing it.
'We'll be looking for landmines, because you could have that. You know, it's been known to happen before to people,' Trump said.
'I don't want to see a shutdown. A shutdown would be a terrible thing,' said Trump, who turned down a similar offer in advance of the 35-day shutdown that began in December.
'We're building a lot of wall right now with money that we already have. When people see what we're doing I think they'll be very surprised. We're doing a lot of work,' Trump said. Current appropriations provide for $1.6 billion of 'fencing' on the border, but lawmakers have yet to provide funding for the wall Trump has described.
Trump's language on a shutdown being 'terrible' was a clear contrast to December, when Trump indicated in a meeting with Sen. Charles Schumer and other leaders that he would welcome a shutdown if necessary.
'I am proud to shut down the government for border security,' Trump said then. 'If we don't get what we want, one way or the other, whether it's through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government. And I am proud. I'll tell you what. I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck,' Trump said at the time.
CNN reported Wednesday that Trump was 'seriously considering' executive actions using Homeland Security, Defense, and other funds for the wall to supplement monies Congress would appropriate.
He is still not ruling out declaring a national emergency – although this would be nearly certain to trigger legal action. Either way, he would achieve a prolonged political fight that he could tout to his base – as he did in an El Paso rally Monday in an arena decked out with 'Finish the Wall' banners.
Presidnet Donald Trump intends to sign a bipartisan compromise with $1.37 billion for border fencing, after a lengthy shutdown where he was demanding $5.7 billion for wall construction
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at the White House Wednesday: 'We want to see what the final piece of legislation looks like. It's hard to say definitively whether or not the president's going to sign it until we know everything that's in it.'
Asked how it would constitute a win if the president ends up going it alone to try to wrangle funds from other agencies, Sanders said: 'I don't think the president is going it alone. I think most people across the country know that we need border security.'
'He's got the support of Americans all over the country,' she said.
Trump signaled his position Tuesday night, hours before negotiators came to agreement on a package to provide $1.37 billion for new border fencing – steel bollards along the southern border.
'When you add whatever I have to add, it's all going to happen' Trump said. He said 'We're going to build a beautiful big, strong wall.' Trump also said he was 'not happy' with the compromise.
Trump said he was 'not happy' with the compromise, but sources indicated Wednesday he would accept it
A bipartisan compromise would provide $1.37 billion for new border fencing
Senate Appropriations chair Richard Shelby of Alabama says he told Trump Tuesday night the wall funding was a 'down payment'
'I can't say I'm happy. I can't say I'm thrilled,' Trump said. 'But the wall is getting built, regardless. It doesn't matter because we're doing other things beyond what we're talking about here.'
Trump turned down a similar deal in December, helping precipitate a 35-day government shutdown that kept 800,000 federal employees away from work. It cost the U.S. economy $11 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, with a $3 billion loss that can't be recovered.
Absent a deal or other short-term legislation, the government will enter a partial shutdown at midnight Friday.
In a Tuesday evening Tweet, Trump thanked 'all Republicans for the work you have done in dealing with the Radical Left on Border Security' – a possible indication he was preparing to declare victory and take the deal.
Senate Appropriations chair Richard Shelby of Alabama, who spoke to Trump Tuesday night, said he told him the wall funding was a 'down payment' on what he was seeking.
Congress faced a tight deadline on Wednesday to pass a bipartisan accord to avert another U.S. government shutdown as news outlets reported President Donald Trump planned to sign the deal as he eyes other ways to fund his wall without lawmakers.
Negotiators have yet to put their deal into formal legislative language that could get a final review.
On Wednesday, CNN, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal all reported that Trump intended to sign the measure into law if it passes Congress. Representatives for the White House could not be reached immediately for comment.
Trump on Tuesday, however, did not rule out vetoing the legislation and said he was not happy with the deal, which denies him funds for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. But he also said he did not expect another shutdown.
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives could vote as soon as Wednesday evening, a senior aide said, despite not yet having produced a written copy of the agreement reached by congressional negotiators on Monday night.
The accord must also be passed by the Republican-controlled Senate and signed by Trump by the midnight Friday expiration of a stopgap measure that ended the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history.
The measure's fate in the House was far from certain given the risk that conservatives and liberals will oppose the compromise for different reasons.
Congressional sources said the deal includes $1.37 billion for new border fencing, about the same as last year - along 55 miles (90 km) of the border - but not the $5.7 billion Trump has demanded to help build his promised border wall.
Senior congressional Republicans, showing little appetite for another shutdown after being heavily criticized for the previous one, urged Trump to support the agreement.
Trump surprised lawmakers when he withdrew support for a previous deal in December and demanded the $5.7 billion in wall funding, opposed by congressional Democrats. That triggered the 35-day shutdown of about a fourth of the federal government that left 800,000 federal workers furloughed or working without pay.
The Washington Post, citing a White House official, said Trump was likely to explore using his executive power to reallocate other federal funds for barrier projects.
CNN, citing the White House, also said Trump was weighing the use of an executive order, among other options.
The president previously threatened to declare a 'national emergency' if Congress did not provide money specifically for the wall, an action under which he might redirect other funds already provided by Congress to pay for wall construction.
Fellow Republicans have told Trump such a step would almost certainly draw opposition, both in Congress and in the courts.
Trump made the wall a central 2016 campaign promise, calling it necessary to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He said Mexico would pay for it, but Mexican officials rejected that. Democrats have called a wall expensive, ineffective and immoral.
Link hienalouca.comhttps://hienalouca.com/2019/02/14/trump-will-refuse-to-sign-a-deal-to-prevent-another-shutdown-if-it-includes-backpay-for-contractors/
Main photo article President Donald Trump won’t sign legislation to prevent another government shutdown if it includes back pay for contractors who lost work in the longest closing in American history, a GOP lawmaker said Wednesday.
Democrats were trying to get backpay for contractors in the final language...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/02/14/00/9778752-6700059-_We_ll_be_looking_for_landmines_because_you_could_have_that_Trum-a-39_1550102910527.jpg
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