Trump avoids government shutdown

washington — US President Donald Trump has signed a twoweek spending bill to extend federal government funding, averting a partial shutdown and delaying an expected partisan fight over the proposed border wall.

The legislation, which would keep the Homeland Security Department and several other government agencies open through December 21, came on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The prospect of a partial government shutdown was raised by disagreements among lawmakers over Trump’s proposed US-Mexico border wall, for which he has demanded $5 billion.

Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer has said that his party members were only willing to agree to a $1.6 billion budget to bolster border security instead of building a physical wall.

Republicans currently hold 51 seats in the Senate and need nine Democratic votes to pass a spending bill. Trump had threatened to force a partial government shutdown if the Congress did not give him enough funding for the wall. The White House and congressional leaders agreed to the two-week funding extension in light of the death of former President George H.W. Bush last week.