Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Saturday called reports of a deal to be proposed by President Trump to end a record-long partial government shutdown a “non-starter.”
“Democrats were hopeful that the President was finally willing to re-open government and proceed with a much-need discussion to protect the border. Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives,” she said in a statement.
{mosads}“It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter.”
Reports surfaced Saturday that Trump would propose a deal that would temporarily extend protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipients and introduce legislation extending the legal status of Temporary Protected Status holders in exchange for his requested $5.7 billion for a border wall.
Pelosi slammed the deal for not including “the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports.”
The White House and congressional Democrats are at an impasse in negotiations to end a partial government shutdown that entered its 29th day Saturday, extending its record as the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
Trump has not changed his demand for border wall money despite multiple declarations from Democrats that such funds should be separated from discussions on a spending bill.
The House speaker included several border security measures her party would support, including increased infrastructure investments at ports of entry, advanced technology to detect drugs and other contraband and increased customs personnel and immigration judges.
“Next week, Democrats will pass a package of six bills agreed to by House and Senate negotiators and other legislation to re-open government so that we can fully negotiate on border security proposals. The President must sign these bills to re-open government immediately and stop holding the American people hostage with this senseless shutdown,” Pelosi said.
While negotiations have remained tense between the two ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, the feud between Pelosi and Trump has become increasingly personal.
The California Democrat sent a request to the White House this week to postpone the State of the Union address, scheduled for Jan. 29, until a time when the government was open and suggested border wall funding could be an issue of “manhood” for the president. Trump responded by cancelling a congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan and excoriating Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on social media.