PHILADELPHIA _ Congress expects to quickly approve money for President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico this year, but House Speaker Paul D. Ryan could not guarantee Thursday that Republicans won't add to the budget deficit to pay for it.
Ryan, R-Wis., said the White House would submit the funding request "very shortly" and he promised that the GOP-led Congress would process it "before the end of the current fiscal year," which is Sept. 30. He estimated the cost at $12 billion to $15 billion, but others have put it higher.
"We have ambitious goals and ambitious timelines," Ryan said.
But that to-do list continues to become complicated by the evolving relationship between the president and his Republican team in Congress.
Trump is expected to address congressional Republicans later Thursday during their annual agenda-setting retreat amid street protests and heightened security in downtown Philadelphia.
Asked specifically if Republicans, who have the majority in the House and Senate, could commit to fulfilling their legislative goals without adding to the deficit this year, Ryan demurred.
He also declined to say whether the costs of the border wall with Mexico would be offset with spending cuts elsewhere, as is traditionally the GOP model _ for example, they wanted emergency funding in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy to be paid for with reductions elsewhere.
"We'll wait and see," Ryan said.
Several hundred protesters sang and danced in the streets into the night Wednesday, with more expected Thursday at the host hotel. Lawmakers were being given security escorts to cross city streets.
