On Thursday evening the House of Representatives passed a “stop-gap” funding bill that included $5.7 billion to fund a border wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. The vote was 217-185. The continuing resolution will be sent to the Senate, which must pass it before midnight Friday in order to avoid a partial shutdown of the federal government.
The passage comes after many members of the Republican caucus in the House balked at the leadership’s initial decision to vote on a bill without funding for border barriers.
During a raucous, closed-door conference meeting Thursday morning, Republican after Republican stood up at the open mics and expressed outrage over leadership’s initial play call. Members credited that internal revolt with leadership’s decision to consider attaching border wall funding and disaster aid to the package.
“100 percent of the people who stood up and spoke said they want to stay and fight,” said Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.). “And leadership listened.”
The House bill also contains relief aid for victims of recent fires and flooding.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the bill has no chance of getting 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in that chamber since Democrats will be withholding support.
Some have suggested using “reconciliation” to pass the House measure, a technical process the then Democratic majority used to pass the Affordable Care Act through the Senate in 2010 without Republican support. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected that idea on Friday, saying it was opposed by several Republican Senators.
President Trump warned on Friday morning that if the Senate fails to pass the House bill, the shutdown could “last for a very long time.”
