Blocking wall $
Dem bigs: Hope Prez ‘learned his lesson’
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are taking preemptive measures to shut down President Trump this time — and they hope he’s learned his lesson.
Amid reports that Trump plans to ask for $8.6 billion for his wall in the 2020 budget, Pelosi and Schumer blocked the request Sunday.
“President Trump hurt millions of Americans and caused widespread chaos when he recklessly shut down the government to try to get his expensive and ineffective wall, which he promised would be paid for by Mexico. Congress refused to fund his wall and he was forced to admit defeat and reopen the government. The same thing will repeat itself if he tries this again. We hope he learned his lesson,” the Democratic leaders said in a joint statement.
“At a time when our country faces challenges about jobs for the future, this money would better be spent on rebuilding America, and on education and workforce development for jobs for the 21st century.”
The President is set to present his first 2020 budget requests Monday, which will include a 5% reduction in domestic spending, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on “Fox News Sunday.”
But that doesn’t include the $8.6 billion ask reported earlier Sunday by Reuters: $5 billion from the Department of Homeland Security budget and $3.6 billion from the Pentagon’s military construction budget.
He also plans to ask for another $3.6 billion in military construction funding to “backfill” the money expected to be spent this year through his emergency declaration, according to CNN.
The emergency declaration came after a month-long government shutdown when Congress refused to pass a budget with Trump’s requested $5.7 billion in wall funding. The House has since voted to revoke the declaration, and the Senate is expected to do the same this week. Trump has promised to veto the resolution once it hits his desk.
Trump, in a personal attack at Ann Coulter Saturday, claimed that he is “winning on the border.
“Major sections of Wall are being built and renovated, with MUCH MORE to follow shortly. Tens of thousands of illegals are being apprehended (captured) at the border and NOT allowed into our country,” he tweeted. “With another President, millions would be pouring in. I am stopping an invasion as the wall gets built.”
Trump spent most of his presidential campaign promising that Mexico would fund the wall.