House and Senate Republicans are hoping President Trump can help them ease the passage of a critical spending deal for fiscal year 2018 that faces possible derailment by both conservatives and Democrats.
Trump has scheduled a high-stakes meeting on Thursday with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as well as top Republican leaders, to negotiate.
Federal funding expires Friday, and a Trump-brokered agreement for the rest of the year would pave the way for the bipartisan passage of another short term spending measure needed to keep the government operating past Friday’s deadline.
A faction of conservatives in the House are threatening to oppose the short-term bill needed by Friday. But an agreement between top Democrats, Republicans and the president would ensure House passage despite some conservative opposition, and it would guarantee Senate passage, where Democrats are needed to pass most legislation.
“What I hope for is a process whereby we get top line numbers so we can actually finish this spending process,” Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., a top appropriator, said on Wednesday when asked about the bipartisan White House meeting.
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04.30.2025