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Dealmakers Dominate Panel Tasked to Reach Border Security Agreement Dealmakers Dominate Panel Tasked to Reach Border Security Agreement
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — The fate of President Trump’s $5.7 billion demand for a border wall is now in the hands of a 17-member bipartisan panel that includes some of the most senior members of Congress and, perhaps more tellingly, lacks the most vocal immigration hard-liners on Capitol Hill.WASHINGTON — The fate of President Trump’s $5.7 billion demand for a border wall is now in the hands of a 17-member bipartisan panel that includes some of the most senior members of Congress and, perhaps more tellingly, lacks the most vocal immigration hard-liners on Capitol Hill.
Under the agreement Mr. Trump reached with congressional Democrats last week, a committee of Republican and Democratic lawmakers from both chambers — known as a conference committee — has until Feb. 15 to come up with a border security package.Under the agreement Mr. Trump reached with congressional Democrats last week, a committee of Republican and Democratic lawmakers from both chambers — known as a conference committee — has until Feb. 15 to come up with a border security package.
During the 35-day shutdown, many Americans accused Mr. Trump and Congress of acting like toddlers.During the 35-day shutdown, many Americans accused Mr. Trump and Congress of acting like toddlers.
Now, the grown-ups are in the room. Now, a group less dominated by ideology will be in charge.
The panel’s members, appointed by House and Senate leaders, are drawn exclusively from the appropriations committees in each chamber, which have a long history of working in a bipartisan way. (Senator John McCain was fond of saying, “There are Republicans, there are Democrats, and then there are appropriators.”) The first meeting will be Wednesday afternoon.The panel’s members, appointed by House and Senate leaders, are drawn exclusively from the appropriations committees in each chamber, which have a long history of working in a bipartisan way. (Senator John McCain was fond of saying, “There are Republicans, there are Democrats, and then there are appropriators.”) The first meeting will be Wednesday afternoon.
With nine Democrats and eight Republicans, the panel traverses the philosophical spectrum: Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, is an ardent liberal critic of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies, as is Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois.With nine Democrats and eight Republicans, the panel traverses the philosophical spectrum: Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, is an ardent liberal critic of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies, as is Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois.
Representative Tom Graves, Republican of Georgia, has co-sponsored legislation to provide $23.4 billion in wall construction money, while Representative Steven Palazzo, Republican of Mississippi, has backed a bill that would allow Americans to purchase bonds to help finance a wall. But neither is closely identified with that cause.Representative Tom Graves, Republican of Georgia, has co-sponsored legislation to provide $23.4 billion in wall construction money, while Representative Steven Palazzo, Republican of Mississippi, has backed a bill that would allow Americans to purchase bonds to help finance a wall. But neither is closely identified with that cause.
And the panel includes members of both parties who have been calling for compromise.And the panel includes members of both parties who have been calling for compromise.
“This is much more than just a wall,” another Republican member, Representative Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee, told Fox Business Network last week, in urging an end to the shutdown. “We’ve got to look at border security where there are areas where a wall won’t work; we’ve got to secure it that way. But yes, I think we can sit down and come up with something. The American people want a reasonable compromise that will work for all.”“This is much more than just a wall,” another Republican member, Representative Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee, told Fox Business Network last week, in urging an end to the shutdown. “We’ve got to look at border security where there are areas where a wall won’t work; we’ve got to secure it that way. But yes, I think we can sit down and come up with something. The American people want a reasonable compromise that will work for all.”
Mr. Durbin helped write the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in 2001, which would offer a path to citizenship for young immigrants who were brought illegally to the country as children. Members of both parties have suggested some version of the Dream Act could be exchanged for some wall funding.Mr. Durbin helped write the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in 2001, which would offer a path to citizenship for young immigrants who were brought illegally to the country as children. Members of both parties have suggested some version of the Dream Act could be exchanged for some wall funding.
Conference committees, once an elemental part of Congress, occur when the House and Senate have to reconcile two different bills. But in the recent past, much of the reconciliation has been done by leadership. Genuine conference committees have become so rare that many lawmakers have never been on one that worked as intended.Conference committees, once an elemental part of Congress, occur when the House and Senate have to reconcile two different bills. But in the recent past, much of the reconciliation has been done by leadership. Genuine conference committees have become so rare that many lawmakers have never been on one that worked as intended.
The border security panel conference includes several Democrats from border states, including Ms. Lee, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard of California; Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas and Representative Pete Aguilar of California.The border security panel conference includes several Democrats from border states, including Ms. Lee, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard of California; Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas and Representative Pete Aguilar of California.
It will be led by the top Democrat and Republican appropriators in both chambers: Representatives Nita Lowey, Democrat of New York, and Kay Granger, Republican of Texas; and Senators Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama, and Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont.It will be led by the top Democrat and Republican appropriators in both chambers: Representatives Nita Lowey, Democrat of New York, and Kay Granger, Republican of Texas; and Senators Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama, and Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont.
Together, they have more than 100 years of legislative experience — Mr. Leahy alone has been in the Senate for 43 years — and are senior enough to remember the days of real conference committees, when lawmakers worked across party lines to hash out deals.Together, they have more than 100 years of legislative experience — Mr. Leahy alone has been in the Senate for 43 years — and are senior enough to remember the days of real conference committees, when lawmakers worked across party lines to hash out deals.
“In my judgment the next three weeks will be one of the most important work periods in recent history — in my job here,” said Ms. Lowey, who was elected to the House in 1988 and is the first woman to chair its appropriations committee.“In my judgment the next three weeks will be one of the most important work periods in recent history — in my job here,” said Ms. Lowey, who was elected to the House in 1988 and is the first woman to chair its appropriations committee.
“I’ve been an appropriator for a long time,” she added. “I’m always willing to work across the aisle and find compromise.”“I’ve been an appropriator for a long time,” she added. “I’m always willing to work across the aisle and find compromise.”
What that compromise might look like — and whether it will satisfy Mr. Trump — is unclear.What that compromise might look like — and whether it will satisfy Mr. Trump — is unclear.
At least one Trump ally on Capitol Hill — Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina — is suggesting that Mr. Trump go ahead and declare a national emergency to build the wall, without congressional support.At least one Trump ally on Capitol Hill — Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina — is suggesting that Mr. Trump go ahead and declare a national emergency to build the wall, without congressional support.
The following is a list of the panel’s members:The following is a list of the panel’s members:
Republicans: Representatives Granger, Fleischmann, Graves and Palazzo; Senators Shelby, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Roy Blunt of Missouri.Republicans: Representatives Granger, Fleischmann, Graves and Palazzo; Senators Shelby, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Roy Blunt of Missouri.
Democrats: Representatives Lowey, Roybal-Allard, Lee, Cuellar, Aguilar and David Price of North Carolina; Senators Durbin and Jon Tester of Montana.Democrats: Representatives Lowey, Roybal-Allard, Lee, Cuellar, Aguilar and David Price of North Carolina; Senators Durbin and Jon Tester of Montana.