Trump Invites Congressional Leaders to WH for Border Security Briefing – By Lindsey McPherson (rollcall.com) / Jan 1 2019
House Democrats poised to vote this week on measure that would end government shutdown
President Donald Trump has invited congressional leaders to the White House Wednesday for a briefing on border security, according to a congressional source.
The top two incoming leaders of each party in both chambers were invited: Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin and Republicans Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Mitch McConnell and John Thune.
The briefing would be held just a day before House Democrats have said they will vote to reopen the government with six full-year appropriations bills and a short-term continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security.
A congressional aide said Department of Homeland Security officials are supposed to conduct the briefing but it could get canceled because not all of the leaders are back in town yet.
Trump signaled earlier this week he would not sign the bill that House Democrats plan to bring to the floor because it omits dollars for his proposed southern border barrier.
“The Democrats will probably submit a Bill, being cute as always, which gives everything away but gives NOTHING to Border Security, namely the Wall. You see, without the Wall there can be no Border Security — the Tech “stuff” is just, by comparison, meaningless bells & whistles,” he tweeted.
Trump vowed that Mexico would pay for the border wall as he campaigned for the presidency in 2016. After he was elected — with no indication that Mexico would comply — he turned his attention to Congress.
Trump began threatening to shut down the government if he didn’t get his funding months ago.
In a Dec. 11 meeting with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, he indicated he would take responsibility for shutting down the government.
“I am proud to shut down the government over border security,” Trump said at the contentious meeting. “I will take the mantle.”
http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/trump-border-security-briefing
