Currents News Staff
A bipartisan group of negotiators from the House and Senate, sat down for the first time.
“I hope that by reaching a compromise here, we will set a tone of bipartisanship,” said Sen. Richard Shelby.
Their task, a border security deal. The deadline, February 15th, when a stopgap government funding measure expires.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left them to their work saying, “I think a conference committee can reach a good result left to its own devices without interference from anybody else.”
But President Trump took to Twitter saying, “If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!”
Democrats want a conversation less about a wall, more about things like technology and ports of entry.
“Along with my Democratic colleagues, I am ready to work in good faith to write a Department of Homeland Security bill that funds smart, effective border security,” said Rep. Nita Lowey.
If and when the committee reaches a compromise, that bill needs to pass the House and the Senate, and get President Trump’s signature, to avert another shutdown.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been floating proposals to prevent more shutdowns down the line.
“After going through this 35-day shutdown, it was so painful, we don’t want to do this again. And there are different ways to get at it,” said Sen. Rob Portman.
The shutdown that ended last Friday, was the longest in U.S. history.