Prez signs budget deal to end shutdown
President Trump signed a two-year budget agreement to end the second government shutdown of his term, a deal that boosts military and nondefense spending and provides much-needed aid for hurricane- and fireravaged disaster zones.
The bipartisan agreement, which unleashed $300 billion in new spending, blowing through budgetary caps in place since a 2011 legislative deal, drew Trump’s ire for the nonmilitary spending hikes after he signed it into law yesterday morning.
“Without more Republicans in Congress, we were forced to increase spending on things we do not like or want in order to finally, after many years of depletion, take care of our Military,” he tweeted. “Sadly, we needed some Dem votes for passage. Must elect more Republicans in 2018 Election!”
Leading into the spending deal, GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky forced the shutdown by holding the Senate floor and giving speeches past the voting deadline. He lambasted his fellow Republicans for supporting a bill that will worsen the deficit. He also pleaded his case to Trump in a phone call during the standoff.
Nevertheless, the Senate passed the measure 71-28, followed by House approval, 240-186.
During an appearance on Boston Herald Radio, Bay State Attorney General Maura Healey lamented the frustrating dysfunction in Washington that’s led to two shutdowns.
“People need to be able to count on government being open for operation,” Healey said. “It’s a terrible situation when we’re on the brink of another shutdown. We know that people in D.C. need to start to work together. The American people are rightly frustrated by that.”
Some Democrats were dismayed that the budget deal didn’t resolve the status for people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, but Healey said she felt the issue should be handled separate from budget talks.
“Government needs to be open,” she said, “and Dreamers shouldn’t be held hostage in this process.”
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell moves next to the difficult issue of immigration, with a procedural vote set for Monday. He has promised a free-wheeling debate in an attempt to develop a legislative compromise on the status of the nearly 700,000 young immigrants known as “Dreamers,” who face deportation as Trump ends the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protected them.
Herald wire services contributed to this report.