This Week on the Hill: Border Security Talks Set to Resume; Trump to Deliver SOTU on Tuesday

Congress returns this week as lawmakers resume border security Conference Committee negotiations. The odds of another funding lapse were raised after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) emphasized that the Democratic border security proposal will not include funding for President Trump’s border wall priority. If the Conference Committee is unable to produce a deal that appeases President Trump, the President has reiterated he is willing to either shut down the government again, or bypass Congress and utilize military construction resources for the wall through a national emergency declaration.

On the floor, the Senate will return to Washington today and resume consideration of a Middle East policy package (S.1) that would impose new sanctions on Syria, increase military aid to Israel and Jordan, and make it easier for states and municipalities to approve laws targeting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel. House lawmakers will return on Tuesday, and have queued up a bill (H.R. 840) that would make permanent the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Child Care Pilot Program.