This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43505059
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Trump threatens to veto $1.3tn spending bill passed by Congress | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
US President Donald Trump has said he may veto a sweeping $1.3tn (£921bn) package to fund the government until September. | |
He cited a lack of immigration measures, including protections for young immigrants brought illegally to the US by their parents. | |
The US Senate passed the bill early on Friday, hours after the House backed it to avoid a government shutdown. | |
The US has already had two government shutdowns this year. | |
The bill needs Mr Trump's signature by a Friday midnight deadline to keep the government funded. | |
But the president raised concern about the final spending bill in a tweet on Friday morning. | |
If Mr Trump signs, this would fund the federal government until 30 September. | |
The vote in the Senate early on Friday caps weeks of haggling over a number of key issues dividing lawmakers. | The vote in the Senate early on Friday caps weeks of haggling over a number of key issues dividing lawmakers. |
But the bill does not address the fate of young immigrants brought illegally to the US by their parents, a group who were protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) programme until President Trump ended it in September. | But the bill does not address the fate of young immigrants brought illegally to the US by their parents, a group who were protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) programme until President Trump ended it in September. |
Mr Trump also criticised the bill for failing to provide enough funding for his promised border wall along the southern border. | |
What about the Dreamers? | |
The Daca programme had protected roughly 700,000 immigrants known as "Dreamers". A deal on Daca was not included in the spending bill because Republicans and Democrats could not agree a trade-off. | |
The White House and Republicans offered Democrats a two-and-a-half or three-year Daca extension in return for including the $25b that Mr Trump wanted for the wall, reports say. | |
Democrats are reported to have said they would accept that, but only if a path to citizenship was created for all the 1.8m people eligible for Daca. | |
The White House rejected this and came back with another proposal but ultimately nothing was agreed. | |
"Democrats refused to take care of DACA. Would have been so easy, but they just didn't care," Mr Trump tweeted. | |
'The Wall' | 'The Wall' |
Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan celebrated the package as a means to enact President Trump's policy positions. | Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan celebrated the package as a means to enact President Trump's policy positions. |
"This bill starts construction on the wall," he told reporters in a news conference on Capitol Hill. | "This bill starts construction on the wall," he told reporters in a news conference on Capitol Hill. |
"It funds our war on opioids. It invests in infrastructure. It funds school safety and mental health," he continued. | "It funds our war on opioids. It invests in infrastructure. It funds school safety and mental health," he continued. |
It provides $1.6bn in funding for Mr Trump's border wall, far short of the $25bn the White House had sought. | It provides $1.6bn in funding for Mr Trump's border wall, far short of the $25bn the White House had sought. |
It also includes a provision that would legally allow the slaughter of wild horses roaming the American West as well as boosting military spending. | It also includes a provision that would legally allow the slaughter of wild horses roaming the American West as well as boosting military spending. |
In a last-minute addition, it added funds to include the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for gun sales. | In a last-minute addition, it added funds to include the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for gun sales. |
It includes a 9% budget increase for the US National Park Service to address a repair backlog that advocates say are urgently needed. | It includes a 9% budget increase for the US National Park Service to address a repair backlog that advocates say are urgently needed. |
"This is a necessary investment with broad returns, and we hope this trend continues," in future spending bills, said Kristen Brengel of the non-profit National Parks Conservation Association. | "This is a necessary investment with broad returns, and we hope this trend continues," in future spending bills, said Kristen Brengel of the non-profit National Parks Conservation Association. |
Are both sides happy? | Are both sides happy? |
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called it "a tremendous victory for the American people". | House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called it "a tremendous victory for the American people". |
"If you want to think you're getting a wall, just think it and sign the bill," she said, in a remark aimed at Mr Trump's Republican supporters in Congress. | "If you want to think you're getting a wall, just think it and sign the bill," she said, in a remark aimed at Mr Trump's Republican supporters in Congress. |
But despite cross-party support, at least 90 conservative Republicans objected to the measure, calling it government spending run amok. | But despite cross-party support, at least 90 conservative Republicans objected to the measure, calling it government spending run amok. |
"This omnibus [spending bill] doesn't just forget the promises we made to voters, it flatly rejects them," Representative Mark Meadows, head of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, said after the vote. | "This omnibus [spending bill] doesn't just forget the promises we made to voters, it flatly rejects them," Representative Mark Meadows, head of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, said after the vote. |
"This is wrong. This is not the limited government conservatism our voters demand." | "This is wrong. This is not the limited government conservatism our voters demand." |