WASHINGTON: Democratic senators plan to force a vote this week on President Donald Trump's new $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate political allies, testing Republican unity as Trump lashes out at lawmakers in his own party.
Republicans are expected to vote on a roughly $72 billion bill to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol after Democrats blocked the money for months.
But the straightforward legislation became more complicated after Republicans added $1 billion in security money for the White House campus and Trump's new ballroom - and as some GOP senators have grown increasingly frustrated with the president. Republicans have criticised the settlement fund, and many were upset by Trump's endorsement Tuesday of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the party primary runoff next week against Sen. John Cornyn.
