The White House on Thursday issued a veto threat against both parts of the Democratic legislation. But that did not deter House Democrats.
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.
HOUSE DEMOCRATS IGNORED TRUMP’S DEMAND
The 2019-2020 Congress convened with roughly a quarter of the federal government closed, affecting 800,000 employees, in a shutdown triggered by Trump’s demand last month for the money for a US-Mexican border wall – opposed by Democrats – as part of any legislation funding government agencies.
The House earlier on Thursday had formally picked Pelosi, a veteran Democratic lawmaker and liberal from San Francisco, as its speaker, beginning her second stint in one of Washington’s most powerful jobs. She is the only woman ever to serve as speaker and will preside over the most diverse US House in history, including a record number of women and Latinos.
