Mitch McConnell said ‘simple’ bill shows Republicans will finish year by governing as Trump insisted ‘we will win on the wall’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The US Senate is set to vote on a short-term measure to avert a partial government shutdown at Christmas, after Donald Trump backed away from his demands for billions of dollars in funding to build a wall on the US border with Mexico.

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Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell opened the Senate on Wednesday by saying it was a “simple” bill but will show that Republicans, who have majority control of Congress, will finish the year by governing rather that prolonging a potential crisis.

“Republicans will continue to fill our duty to govern,” McConnell said. “We can continue this vital debate after the new Congress has convened.”

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The swift turn of events came after Trump moved off his demand for $5bn for a US-Mexico border wall. But facing criticism from supporters, Trump continued to argue Wednesday the wall would be built.

Due to the way the US government is funded, without a resolution to the impasse, more than 800,000 government workers could be furloughed or sent to work without pay beginning at midnight on Friday, disrupting operations days before Christmas.

Trump has not said that he would sign such a temporary measure. But White House counselor Kellyanne Conway signaled on Wednesday that he may consider it, saying: “He’ll take a look at that, certainly.”

On Twitter, Trump appeared to respond to criticism Wednesday that he was backing down, insisting: “One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!”

Trump also argued that Mexico will pay “indirectly” for the wall because the terms of a new trade deal will boost US revenue. But that outcome is not assured and is not the same as his campaign promise that Mexico would pay for the wall, which the country has refused to do.

The White House shifted its rhetoric this week after days of impasse leading up to a potential partial government shutdown.

Just last week, Trump said he would be “proud” to shut the government down over the wall.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders indicated that Trump doesn’t want to shut down the government and said the administration was looking at ways to find the money elsewhere.

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The stopgap measure would simply approve government funding at existing levels, without a boost for the border. The chairman of the appropriations committee, Republican senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, confirmed late Tuesday his office was preparing legislation to keep the government funded.

Should a short-term resolution be reached, the border funding fight would be punted to the new year and the next Congress, which could prove even more difficult for Trump with a Democratic-led House.

For now, Sanders told reporters that the White House wants “to know what can pass”. She also said the Republican president “has asked every agency to look and see if they have money that can be used”.

﻿McConnell said he was confident there would not be a government shutdown. McConnell said a stopgap measure could be approved, though he suggested that House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who is poised to become House speaker when the Democrats take control 3 January, would not want to saddle the new year with a budget brawl.

“If I were in her shoes, I would rather not be dealing with this year’s business next year,” McConnell said.

Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer have made it clear they are not interested in funding Trump’s border wall.

﻿Pelosi will probably be able to quickly approve a longer-term measure to keep government running in the new year. She called it a “good sign” that the White House appeared to be backing off its demands.﻿