WASHINGTON, D.C. — Some light consensus seems to be apparent on Capital Hill regarding border security, but it’s not clear exactly what that consensus might be.
Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said she would support whatever bill lawmakers from both the House in the Senate produce from the Border Security Conference Committee. Encouraging words, says Indiana’s Republican Senator Todd Young.
“I like to hear those words and I’m encouraged by that language,” Young said on Fox News. “The people back in my home state of Indiana, like so many others across the country, want results. They want to make sure that we secure that border.”
It’s unclear if a bill will be produced by the February 15th deadline.
Once February 15th arrives the government will be partially shutdown for a second time unless a long-term spending bill is passed. President Trump wants $5 billion in border security funding a part of that bill.
“Walls, or barriers, or structures, whatever you want to call them, do indeed work when properly and intelligently placed,” Young added. “I hope that is part of the package that we can agree on.”
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has told Republicans on the committee to produce a bill as soon as possible, even if it is a bill that is not guaranteed to be signed by the president. That’s a change of pace from during the shutdown in January when McConnell would not bring any legislation to a vote he felt the president would not sign.
West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who is the top Republican on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the conference committee told Roll Call that they are “moving in the right direction” and that “nobody’s left the table,” which she said is a good thing.
(PHOTO: Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
