Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said ahead of the State of the Union address Tuesday that he hopes House-Senate negotiators can strike a deal on homeland security spending to prevent another partial government shutdown from happening Feb. 15.
“Obviously, it would be great if the president decided to sign the bill,” McConnell said earlier Tuesday, according to CQ. “I think we don’t yet know what his view is on this, but I think the conferees ought to reach an agreement. And then we’ll hope that the president finds it worth signing.”
During the 35-day government shutdown, McConnell refused to call a vote on any spending bill without assurances President Trump would sign it.
President Trump did not directly mention the spending showdown in his speech.
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When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell steps down from his Senate leadership role after the November elections, he’ll have at least two more years in the Senate. Now he’s signaled one of his priorities as a rank-and-file Senator is to increase defense funding,...