Hmm: Can't House Republicans Just Pass Trump's $5 Billion Wall Funding Request?
The answer to the question posed in my headline is 'yes' --
theoretically.
The GOP still controls the House of Representatives for the next few
weeks, so if (still) Speaker Ryan and company can get their caucus in
line, they could simply pass a DHS appropriation that meets the
president's
full request
on wall funding. That would not only fortify Trump's bargaining
position and apply pressure to Senate Democrats, it would also embarrass
incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who
just taunted
her Republican colleagues for not having the votes. And the next House
Republican leader is telling reporters that he's "100 percent"
confident that he
does have the votes:
All sorts of journalists who cover Capitol Hill are expressing
skepticism over this claim, citing several factors: First,
absenteeism.
Dozens of lawmakers, including many defeated GOP incumbents, haven't
been showing up for work lately. What are the chances leadership can
wrangle them back to DC to participate in strategic show votes? Second,
resentment. Many of those defeated Republicans, some of whom the
president
foolishly ridiculed,
at least partially blame Trump for their losses.
