Trump Signs Bill Reopening Government for 3 Weeks through February 15

WASHINGTON (TIP): The House and Senate both approved a measure Friday, January 25 to temporarily reopen the federal government with a short-term spending bill that does not include President Donald Trump‘s requested $5.7 billion for a border wall, CNN reported.

The measure — a three-week stop-gap spending bill  would reopen shuttered parts of the government through February 15 with President having signed the Bill.

Congressional approval of the measure came quickly after the President conceded earlier Friday to mounting pressure over the ongoing shutdown, agreeing to a temporary funding measure that would allow federal employees to return to work.

“I will sign a bill to open our government for three weeks,” the President said in an address on Friday, saying that he was announcing that “we have reached a deal to end the shutdown.”

Trump said that “a bipartisan conference committee of House and Senate lawmakers and leaders” will work to “put together a homeland security package for me to shortly sign into law.”

“Over the next 21 days, I expect that both Democrats and Republicans will operate in good faith,” the President said.

Democrats have insisted throughout the shutdown that the President should sign a measure to reopen the government before they proceed to a debate on border wall funding. After weeks of resistance, Trump agreed to just that on Friday, paving the way for congressional Democrats and Republicans to approve a stop-gap funding bill.

The action on Capitol Hill comes after weeks of negotiations largely going nowhere. And it is not yet clear what kind of a deal can be struck between Democrats and Republicans in the weeks to come over border security.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer suggested at a news conference on Friday that the President’s decision to accept a stop-gap funding measure amounted to a validation of the position taken by Democrats during the shutdown fight.

“The President has agreed to our request to open the government and then debate border security,” Schumer said.

Schumer appeared optimistic that a resolution over border security can be reached once the government is reopened.

“We in Congress will roll up our sleeves and try to find some agreement on border security,” Schumer said.

Democrats have maintained throughout the shutdown fight that they support border security measures, but not new funding for a border wall, a signature promise of Trump’s campaign for the White House.

“We don’t agree on some of the specifics of border security. Democrats are firmly against the wall,” Schumer said on Friday.

“But we agree on many things such as the need for drug inspection technology, humanitarian aid, strengthening security at our ports of entry. And that bodes well for finding an eventual agreement,” he added.

In his Rose Garden remarks, Trump did not appear conciliatory nor did he concede defeat. Instead, he continued to paint the matter as a national security crisis and said another shutdown is possible if lawmakers cannot agree to new border wall funding.

“As everyone knows I have a very powerful alternative but I’m not going to use it at this time,” Trump said after declaring he’d struck a deal to reopen government. CNN reported exclusively on Thursday that a national emergency proclamation had been drafted that would allow for potentially billions of federal dollars to be put toward wall construction.

“If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on February 15 again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency,” Trump said. “We will have great security.”

Nearly his entire Cabinet and many of his senior advisers had assembled along the Rose Garden colonnade to listen to Trump speak. They offered enthusiastic applause during his speech, which Trump opened by saying he was “very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government.”

“I will make sure that all employees receive their back pay very quickly or as soon as possible. It’ll happen fast,” Trump said.

“When I say make America great again — it could never be done without you,” Trump said, calling federal workers “great people.”