Senate Republican leaders headed to White House as Trump demands nuclear option to get wall funding
by Susan Ferrechio
| December 21, 2018 10:18 AM
President Trump will huddle with Senate Republican leaders Friday to push them to pass a bill providing $5.7 billion for border security and the construction of a southern border wall.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the meeting on Twitter.
It comes hours before funding lapses for about nine agencies now kept open under a temporary spending measure that expires at midnight.
Trump is refusing to sign an extension of funding unless border wall funding is included.
His fight gained momentum Thursday when the House GOP easily passed a stopgap bill to fund the agencies until Feb. 8 and to provide $5.7 billion over five years for border security that includes construction of a wall.
The Senate passed a stopgap funding measure on Wednesday but it did not include wall funding because Democrats would have blocked it.
Trump and other Republicans, including Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., want McConnell to change the Senate rules so that only a simple majority is needed to pass legislation, not 60 votes.
"Thank you @SteveDaines for being willing to go with the so-called nuclear option in order to win on DESPERATELY NEEDED Border Security! Have my total support," Trump tweeted Friday.
McConnell, however is a staunchly opposed to changing the Senate rules for approving legislation.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/senate-republican-leaders-headed-to-white-house-as-trump-demands-nuclear-option-to-get-wall-funding
