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US Senate Passes Border Security Bill, Legislation Heads to US House

The US Senate voted Thursday overwhelmingly, 83-16, to avert another government shutdown with a bipartisan spending bill that provides $1.375 billion for US President Donald Trump's border wall, which is less than the $5.7 billion that Trump initially requested.
Sputnik

The bill will now proceed to the US House of Representatives for debate and another vote later tonight.

In late January, US lawmakers and Trump temporarily reopened the federal government for a three-week period until 15 February to negotiate a deal on border security. The main point of disagreement has been the Democrats' refusal to satisfy Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to build a wall on the US border with Mexico, which led to a record 35-day government shutdown.

Failure to enact the bipartisan security bill could shutter many federal projects, from air traffic controller training programs to the collection and publication of important data for financial markets, for the second time this year.

READ MORE: Pelosi Could File Legal Challenge if Trump Declares National Emergency

Trump to Declare National Emergency - US Senate Majority Leader
The previous partial government shutdown began in mid-December and affected some 800,000 federal workers and contractors.

Trump has noted that congressional funding to construct a southern border wall continues to be the root of his dispute with Democrats.

"We need a wall [but] they do not want to give us a space to detain murderers, criminals, drug dealers", Trump said Monday.

Neither Trump nor his Democratic opponents in Congress appear ready to yield ground to end the dispute.

READ MORE: '$23 Billion for Border Security': Trump Touts Border Wall to Be Funded Anyway

Earlier on Thursday, the White House confirmed Trump will use his executive authority to declare a national emergency in order to secure border wall funding. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters later on Thursday that Democrats would review their options and be prepared to respond appropriately.

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