President Trump has invited congressional leaders of both parties to the White House on Wednesday to discuss a fight over his proposed border wall, which prompted a partial government shutdown.
A congressional source confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Trump proposed the meeting, framing it as a briefing on “border security.”
The invitation went to the top two leaders of each party in each chamber. That list includes House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and likely House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; House GOP leaders Kevin McCarthy of California and Steve Scalise of Louisiana; Senate Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Illinois; and Senate Republican leaders Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Thune of South Dakota.
A second congressional source told the Washington Examiner that the proposed briefing would include Department of Homeland Security officials, but said it might be canceled, because some congressional leaders remain out of town after the holidays.
Planned for Wednesday afternoon, the White House meeting would occur on the last full day of the 115th Congress, with Republicans in control of both the House and Senate. It would be the first time Trump met with leaders of both parties since the shutdown started Dec. 22.
On their first day controlling the House, Democrats plan to bring to the floor spending bills funding nearly all federal agencies through September, the end of the fiscal year. Separately, they will introduce a bill extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security only through Feb. 8, without money for a wall. The shorter expiration date allows for further debate over immigration policy.
House Democrats, set to take power on Thursday, introduced a proposal Monday to reopen the government without funding for the border wall, which Trump had promised during his 2016 campaign would be paid for by Mexico. In an early December meeting with Schumer and Pelosi, the president said he’d be “proud” to shut down the government over wall funding and wouldn’t blame Democrats.
He changed tactics afterward, however, and taunted Pelosi on Tuesday afternoon, suggesting she strike a deal with him to avoid starting the Democrats’ majority on a sour note.
Border Security and the Wall “thing” and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
Trump has asked for $5 billion in funding for the wall, more than the $1.3 billion allocated for border security in the Democrats’ plan. Democrats don’t consider Trump’s proposed wall to be a useful mechanism for border security, saying that existing barriers, combined with technology such as drones, are more effective and efficient.
