Republicans are shaping a spending bill to keep government operating past Friday's deadline that does not include Trump's border wall funding, according to the Washington Post.
With congressional Republicans eager to avoid shutting down the government over a spending impasse, GOP leaders submitted a new offer to Democrats on Tuesday afternoon that included no funding for the wall, several House and Senate aides said. But Republicans are insisting on increases in border security and defense spending.
Part of the new border security funding would go to repairing existing fencing and new surveillance technology to patrol the nearly 2,000-mile border.
The two sides remain at odds over whether the spending bill would include money for subsidy payments under the Affordable Care Act, how long to extend a health-care program for coal miners, and a series of unrelated policy measures known typically known as riders.
Those riders could include Planned Parenthood defunding or any number of poison pills, though it seems Republicans are not inclined to pick those fights this go 'round. They've got enough of a headache dealing the ever-changing White House position on the wall. They've apparently decided to go with Tuesday morning's initial White House position that the wall funding didn't have to be included.
"The president signaled in his most recent statements that I think he realizes that it is unlikely to be part of the negotiation this time around," said Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and explained that Trump's backing down has been "helpful." That's the story and they're going with it, because they really don't want this shutdown.