House to Vote on Border Wall Funding This Week

Legislative Update By: RJ Hauman

This week, the House will consider a must-pass spending package that includes funding for President Trump’s border wall. (Washington Examiner, July 24, 2017) “The president campaigned across America about making sure our borders are secure,” Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), said when he announced the pending vote. (Id.) “The American public has requested it.” (Id.) McCarthy plans to include the $1.6 billion in funding in a group of FY 2018 spending bills combined into one measure. (Id.) Specifically, the money would fund “physical barrier construction along the southern border, including bollards and levee improvements,” according to the House Appropriations Committee. (Appropriations Committee Press Release, July 11, 2017) The funding level matches President Trump’s full FY 2018 request. (Id.)

While the measure is expected to pass the GOP-led House, Senate Democrats have already signaled that they will oppose any spending bill that includes funding for a border wall or increased immigration enforcement. “We are once again concerned with the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 request for a very expensive, ineffective new wall along the southern border with Mexico and new funding for the Department of Homeland Security to hire a ‘deportation force’ and increase detention beds,” wrote Senate Democratic leaders to their GOP counterparts, setting the stage for a shutdown fight this fall. (Senate Democratic Leadership Letter, June 26, 2017)