The White House is willing to accept a smaller pot of money for a southern border wall than it initially requested, CQ reported late Tuesday.
“The bazaar is open, no reasonable offer refused,” CQ reported a source as saying. “It’s time for the Hill to make them a proposal,” the source said.
The development gives new hope that Congress can pass another short-term stopgap spending bill to keep the government open past Nov. 21 while it tries to finish the formal appropriations process.
The Trump administration had requested $8.6 billion for the wall, hindering House and Senate negotiators who increasingly fear time is running out to reach meaningful compromise. The White House would still insist on being able to move DOD construction funds to the wall, according to CQ.
“So long as the continuing resolution does not impede the President’s ability to pursue his policies, the administration is willing to support passage of a continuing resolution with a December date,” White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland said in a statement, according to Politico.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) hope to finish all 12 appropriations bills by the end of the calendar year.
Customs and Border Patrol photo by Glenn Fawcett