CBS News: White House Prepared To Put Funding For Border Wall On Hold Until Fiscal 2018
WASHINGTON (CBS) -- The clock is ticking on Congress to pass a federal spending bill by the end of the week or face a government shutdown.
The White House remains confident that won't happen, now that President Donald Trump appears to be backing down from a key demand.
The border wall was one of the core campaign promises that Trump ran on, but the reality of the budget process is making it a hard one to keep.
"How high will it be? How much will it cost?" questioned Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
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The president had demanded Congress include funding for the Mexican border wall in the spending bill that's due by midnight on Friday, but amid backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, senior administration officials tell CBS News the White House is prepared to put funding for the wall on hold until fiscal 2018 negotiations.
They say Trump now plans to pivot to a message of general satisfaction on border security.
"Money for our military and our border security and wall -- those are the president's priorities with respect to the CR and keeping the government open," said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
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Vice President Mike Pence cut a trip to Hawaii short to be a part of the negotiations.
"I'm headed back to Capitol Hill. There's a spending bill that's being considered as we speak," said Pence.
Democrats have said they would be comfortable with some additional funding for border security and surveillance.
If no deal is reached, lawmakers are likely to pass a temporary resolution that would fund the government for at least another week.