US Senate approves $70 billion budget

Good news for President Donald Trump has arrived from the US Senate. The Senate approved an additional $70 billion budget bill, which will fund the Trump administration's policies on the deportation of immigrants, by a vote of 52 to 47. With the Senate's approval, the bill has been sent to the House of Representatives for final consideration. The funding provided under the bill will help finance Trump's controversial deportation practices over the next three years.

The bill also did not contain any provisions to block a $1.8 billion fund that Democrats wanted removed, which could be used to pay compensation to Trump's allies on the grounds that they were treated unfairly by the government.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said in a statement after the vote that she opposed the bill because it bypassed the regular budget process, which requires bipartisan support, and did not eliminate the fund in question.

Senate Republican Leader John Thune, referring to Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's testimony before Congress this week where he stated that the Justice Department would not implement the fund, said, "I find it hard to believe that someone who sits before a committee and makes definitive statements on this matter would then suddenly backtrack."

The fund is currently suspended by the White House and the Justice Department due to serious controversy among Republicans and strong backlash from Democrats. When asked on Wednesday whether the fund had truly been terminated, US President Donald Trump replied, "I love it. I think it's very important."

News Source: 12punto