Wow! Republicans had a chance to stand up to the Democrats and fight for the border wall, as well as other issues that got President Trump and many Republican members of Congress elected. The swamp monsters first attempt at backing our president and his efforts to make America Great Again however, proved to be an epic failure. Meanwhile, Democrats who are the minority party in both the House and Senate are gloating over the power they still wield over our spineless leadership in the GOP… 

Top Capitol Hill negotiators reached an agreement on a huge $1 trillion-plus spending bill that avoids a government shutdown, aides said on Sunday.

The deal means virtually all the day-to-day-operations of the federal government will be funded until September.

It was a victory for Trump, who got an extra $15billion to strengthen the military and another $1.5billion to enhance border security.

However, he lost out on the funding he needed for the US-Mexico-border wall, a promise that was one of the cornerstones of his presidential campaign.

Details of the agreement were expected to be made public Sunday night, said aides to lawmakers involved in weeks of negotiations. The House and Senate had until midnight Friday to pass a measure to avert a government shutdown. –Daily Mail

After details of the agreement emerged Sunday night, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., released a statement saying the deal reflects the Democrats’ principles. The bill “ensures taxpayer dollars aren’t used to fund an ineffective border wall, excludes poison pill riders, and increases investments in programs that the middle-class relies on, like medical research, education, and infrastructure.”

White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said earlier in April that the shutdown fight was “the first real test of whether or not the Democrats — specifically in the Senate — are interested in negotiating, interested in compromising.”

The White House last week dropped its demand for immediate funding for the border wall after Democrats said it would result in a government shutdown because they would not vote for any bill that included it. The White House also dropped its threat to stop paying federal subsidies to insurance companies that offer lower-cost coverage to low-income Americans. Trump had threatened to stop paying the subsidies to force Democrats to support legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

Here’s a look at the trillion dollar budget that was passed by Republican majority Congress and Democrat minority.  We’ve highlighted budget items where Democrats and RINO’s in Congress came together to vote against promises President Trump made to voters who elected him.  

THE TRILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET

  • $1.5billion for border security – with strict stipulation that it be used only for technology investments and repairs to existing fencing and infrastructure
  • $61million to reimburse local law enforcement in New York and Florida for the cost of protecting Trump and his family when he’s not in Washington
  • Permanent extension of program that offers health benefits to coal miners
  • $407million earmarked for wildfire relief for Western states
  • $295million to help cover a Medicaid deficit in Puerto Rico
  • Continued federal funding for Planned Parenthood
  • $2billion to be held in reserve for the National Institutes of Health
  • Budget calls for $12.5billion increase in military spending, even though President Trump demanded $30billion 
  • No allocation of money toward construction of a border wall along the frontier with Mexico
  • Budget maintains 99 percent of current levels of funding for the Environmental Protection Agency
  • Budget does not include any money for a deportation force which Trump wants to remove undocumented migrants
  • There is also no cut in funding for so-called ‘sanctuary cities’ – jurisdictions that permit undocumented aliens to receive services 
  • Key Obamacare subsidies to aid lower-income earners will remain

Once those two major stumbling blocks to a deal were removed, negotiators had just a few remaining issues to resolve over the weekend.

While Republicans hold majorities in the House and Senate, the GOP needs Democratic votes in both chambers to pass the funding bill. In the closely divided Senate, the GOP has a slim majority of 52 seats in a chamber where 60 votes are required to pass the legislation. In the House, Republican leaders need help from Democrats because some conservatives will oppose any bill that increases spending.

Democrats used that leverage to get concessions from the White House on the border wall and Obamacare while also getting extra money for medical research and other domestic programs. At the same time, Democrats agreed to beef up defense and border security, allowing the White House to claim at least a partial victory. – USA Today

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