The House voted Thursday to advance a spending bill with money for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, further muddying the scramble to dodge a partial government shutdown by Friday.
The chamber approved the measure in a 221-179 vote. It suggests the House can pass the short-term spending legislation in an expected vote later Thursday night.
But the bill, which includes more than $5 billion for the border barrier, likely will not pass the Senate, increasing the chances that funding for seven agencies lapses after the midnight Friday deadline. Senators were told Thursday to prepare for potential votes Friday. The chamber convenes at noon.
The Senate unanimously approved a bill Wednesday night to keep the government running through Feb. 8 — without border wall money. Trump insisted Thursday that he would not sign it. It forced House Republicans to include the wall money in the new bill.
Both House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have unequivocally said congressional Democrats will not approve wall money. As Republicans need Democratic votes to pass spending legislation in the Senate, a partial shutdown is all but assured if the GOP insists on funding for the barrier.
It is unclear if Republicans would abandon that goal in an effort to keep the government running past Friday.
At a bill signing Thursday afternoon, Trump laid out in more detail why he would not back the legislation. He said “any measure that funds the government must include border security.” He pushed for a wall — “also called, so that I can give them a little bit of an out, steel slats.”
“Hopefully, that will all come together,” he said.
Republicans hoped to pass the so-called clean spending bill earlier in the day. However, some GOP members hesitated to support it without knowing whether Trump would sign it. The president’s opposition doomed it in the House.
Lawmakers have already passed funding bills for five agencies, including the Pentagon and Department of Health and Human Services. Congress still needs to fund departments such as State and Homeland Security.
A shutdown would be the third this year. It would likely last through Christmas and into the new year, at least until Democrats take control of the House on Jan. 3.
Government employees considered essential would still work during that time. However, some of those workers would not get paid temporarily.
