Senate Prepared to Cut House's $5 Billion Border Wall Plan

Republicans in the Senate are preparing to cut back a $5 billion plan in the House of Representatives for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, the Washington Examiner reported.

The House bill would provide $5 billion for the wall next year, well above the $1.6 billion in the Senate version of the bill. 

The House’s bill, which could pass with no Democrat support, would provide funding for 200 miles of new construction as well as funding to achieve “100 percent scanning” of the border within five years, the Examiner noted.

However, in the Senate, 10 Democrats would be needed to pass the bill. Senate Republicans said they planned to stick to the White House’s $1.6 billion request, the Examiner reported.

“This is what the White House asked for. There is no reason to put in more money than what they asked for and what they need and what they can get done in a year,” said Rep. James Lankford, R-Okla., the report said.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said that wall funding could end up as a bargaining chip in an end-of-year spending deal, the Examiner reported.

“I keep hoping somehow we’ll get a breakthrough. It’s going to have to be resolved one way or another,” said Cornyn, the Examiner reported.

• White House Backs Border Security Spending Bill
• Texas Property Owners Getting Requests to Survey Land for Border Wall