Travel order likely on Wednesday
COLLISION COURSE Congress may see confrontation on Trump’s decisions on health care and the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump is expected to sign a new refugee and immigration executive order on Wednesday, a day after addressing lawmakers at a joint session of US Congress, a senior administration official said.
Trump initially planned to sign the new order last week, but spokesman Sean Spicer had said the president was holding off “to make sure that when we execute this, it’s done in a manner that’s flawless.”
Trump’s initial order temporarily halting all entries into the US from seven Muslim-majority countries was blocked by a federal judge. Trump has vigorously criticised the decision.
Ahead of his address to Congress, Trump toasted US governors at a black-tie ball at the White House on Sunday. Trump welcomed 46 governors and their spouses to the annual Governors’ Ball, the first major social event of his administration.
The Congress is likely to witness confrontation on dramatic decisions on health care and the Supreme Court that may help determine the course of Trump’s presidency.
First, the president will have his say, in his maiden speech to the joint session on Tuesday night. Majority Republicans in the House and Senate will be closely watching the prime-time address for guidance, marching orders or any specifics Trump might embrace on health care or taxes, areas where some of his preferences remain a mystery.
Congressional Republicans insist they are working closely with the new administration as they prepare to start taking votes on health legislation, with the moment finally upon them to make good on seven years of promises to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
House Republicans hope to pass their legislation by early April and send it to the Senate, with action there also possible before Easter.
Republicans will be “keeping our promise to the American people,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said. The White House will propose boosting defence spending and slashing funding for longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency in a set of marching orders to agencies as it prepares its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
President Donald Trump’s proposal for the 2018 budget year, which will be sent to agencies Monday, won’t make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare, according to an administration official.
The official, as well as Capitol Hill aides, confirmed details of the upcoming blueprint on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic information and a sensitive process.
Trump’s first major fiscal marker will land in the agencies one day before his first address to a joint session of Congress.
For Trump, the primetime speech is an opportunity to refocus his young presidency on the core economic issues that were a centerpiece of his White House run. The Pentagon is due for a huge boost, as Trump promised during the campaign.