Trump to Declare National Emergency

The Wall Street Journal reports Trump to Sign Spending Deal, Declare National Emergency.

Congress prepared to vote Thursday on a sweeping spending bill that includes modest funding for border barriers, aiming to pass the legislation and get it on President Trump’s desk before another potential government shutdown this weekend.

The Senate is expected to vote first Thursday afternoon, followed by the House Thursday evening, on the $333 billion package of seven spending bills. The agreement includes controversial funding for the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the border with Mexico, and whose budget triggered a five-week shutdown that ended last month.

The bipartisan deal, while supplying far less than the $5.7 billion that Mr. Trump had demanded to build a border wall, gives both parties political victories. Republicans touted the 55 new miles of physical barriers that will be built in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as additional investments in border security. The bill includes funding for new equipment at ports of entry, 600 new Customs officers, opioid-detection equipment and other technology.

I expect the emergency declaration for further wall spending will be immediately challenged.