advertisement

The Latest: Dems reject Dreamer provision for spending bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on efforts in Congress to reach a deal on a $1.3 trillion spending bill (all times local):

1:55 p.m.

Congressional Democrats have rejected a White House bid to extend protections for so-called Dreamer immigrants in exchange for $25 billion in funding for President Donald Trump's long-sought U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The development came as talks continued on a massive $1.3 trillion catchall spending bill.

Aides said efforts to use the measure as a vehicle to extend protections for young immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, or DACA, appeared likely to fail.

Trump killed the Obama-era program in September, but a court decision has essentially left it in place, for now.

The White House Sunday proposed a 30-month extension of DACA protections in exchange for $25 billion for Trump's border wall - but Democrats demanded protections for a broader pool of immigrants.

The aides required anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing talks.

__

12:51 a.m.

Congressional leaders and the White House are pressing to strike an accord on a $1.3 trillion catchall spending bill.

Standing in the way are disputes over immigration, abortion and a massive New York-New Jersey rail project that pits President Donald Trump against his most powerful Democratic adversary, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

An agreement by Monday would pave the way for a House vote on Wednesday. Action is needed by midnight Friday to avert another government shutdown.

The measure carries political and policy victories for both sides. Republicans and Trump are winning a long-sought budget increase for the Pentagon while Democrats obtain funding for infrastructure, the opioid crisis and a wide swath of domestic programs.

Coupled with last year's tax cut measure, it heralds the return of trillion-dollar budget deficits.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.