New US House challenges Trump over border wall, govt. shutdown
The US House of Representatives has approved legislation that would end a 13-day partial government shutdown, ignoring President Donald Trump's demand for $5 billion for a wall on the US-Mexico border.
On their first day in the majority in the 116th Congress, House Democrats passed the government funding legislation on Thursday.
The Republican president has threatened to veto the bill if it does not authorize $5 billion to fund a border wall.
The largely party-line votes came after Trump made a surprise appearance at the White House briefing room pledging to keep up the fight for his signature campaign promise.
Thursday marked the first day of divided government in Washington since Trump took office in January 2017, as Democrats took control in the House from his fellow Republicans, who remain in charge of the Senate.
Congressional leaders from both parties held unproductive talks with Trump at the White House on Wednesday and are to return for another round on Friday, a sign the shutdown is likely to continue at least for the rest of the week.
Credit rating agency Moody's said the shutdown would cause minimal US economic and credit market disruption but there could be a more severe impact on financial markets and the broad economy if the closure is protracted.
Trump is demanding billions of dollars to build his wall along the US border with Mexico, which the Democrats have refused.
Trump made the wall a key election campaign promise in 2016, saying Mexico would pay for it and claiming it is needed to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Democrats have called a border wall immoral, ineffective and medieval.
"We're not doing a wall. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with a wall is an immorality between countries. It's an old way of thinking. It isn't cost effective," new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters late on Thursday.
As speaker, Pelosi now is situated to lead Democratic opposition to Trump's agenda and carry out investigations of his administration following two years during which congressional Republicans largely complied with the president.
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