WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th January, 2019) The Trump administration is threatening to veto four spending bills being considered by US House Democrats to reopen several agencies amid the government shutdown because they fail to address border security concerns, the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a policy statement on Wednesday.
"The Administration opposes passage of H.R. 264, making appropriations for financial services and general government; H.R. 267, making appropriations for the Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies; H.R. 265, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs; and H.R. 266, making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year (FY) ending September 30, 2019 and for other purposes," the statement said.
It added that the administration is committed to working with Congress to reopen agencies affected by the the shutdown, but insisted that any effort to do so must address what it called a security and humanitarian crisis on the US southern border.
Advancing the four bills without a broader agreement to address border security is unacceptable, the release added.
US President Donald Trump is requesting $5.7 billion for the construction of a wall on the US border with Mexico.
Democrats, who control the US House of Representatives, have vowed to block any bill that includes the amount of money Trump is requesting to construct the border wall.
On December 22, the US government shut down after Democrats refused to include the funding Trump had requested.
