Washington, DC — With a Friday deadline looming to avoid another partial federal government shutdown, Congressional Democrats and Republicans have reached an agreement, at least in principle, over border security.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, says he’s hopeful all parties, including President Trump, will be able to agree to the compromise.
The partial shutdown that started in late December ran a record 35 days and furloughed 800-thousand federal workers, or forced some to work without pay. Grassley is putting his trust in the conference committee that the compromise they’ve created will be acceptable and bipartisan.
Grassley says no details are being released about the compromise, though reports indicate it includes $1.3-billlion to put up 55 miles of fencing at the border, a long way from the $5.7-billion and 2-thousand miles of wall the president wanted. With seven months remaining in the fiscal year, Grassley says $1.3-billion is likely all the government can afford to spend on a fence.
Reports say the agreement would pay for a fence made of metal slats, not the concrete wall the president was pushing. It would also cut the number of beds in border detention centers from around 50-thousand to around 40-thousand. Grassley says firm details about the proposal will be out soon.
