House Democrats Pass Funding Plan to Reopen Gov't Without Money for Wall
WASHINGTON (CBS) -- The 116th Congress was seated Thursday, with Democrats taking the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives after eight years out of power. The first order of business was electing Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-S.F.) to be House speaker for the second time.
Within hours of Pelosi taking the speaker's gavel, the House voted to reopen the government without funding for the border wall. But the legislation is considered dead on arrival in the Senate and President Trump has insisted he will veto any legislation that does not include border wall funding.
Mr. Trump congratulated Pelosi on her victory in a surprise statement to reporters in the White House briefing room Thursday afternoon.
The House voted to reopen the government 241-190 but without President Trump's border wall funding. Seven Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
This bill and the Homeland Security funding bill are considered dead on arrival in the Senate and President Trump has vowed to veto.
Democrats say these bills are identical to bills that have either passed the full Senate with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote or passed the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously.
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