Vice President Mike Pence said the president is “undeterred” by Democratic obstruction over his demand for border wall funding.
“Even as we face a crisis on our southern border, and as 800,000 federal workers go without paychecks, Democrats in Congress have been unwilling to seriously discuss even partial wall funding. President Trump and our administration will not be deterred by the Democrats' obstruction. The American people want to see action, and we intend to deliver,” he wrote in a USA Today op-ed.
Pence explained that the Trump administration has come forward in good faith to compromise with Democrats, “including the president’s request for $5.7 billion to fund a steel barrier on the southern border and more than $7 billion to address a wide variety of security and humanitarian needs, many of which have been long supported by both parties in Congress.”
But none of that has been enough for Democrats who won’t even come to the table to negotiate—a fact Pence wants the American people to know as we are now in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Like President Trump in his address to the American people last week, Pence brought up the harm illegal immigration does to not only the U.S. through drugs, crime, and violence, but to the migrants themselves, many of whom report being the victims of violence during the journey.
“It’s time for Democrats in Congress to do their job, negotiate in good faith, and reach an agreement that ends the humanitarian and security crisis at our border and reopens the government,” he said in conclusion. “The American people deserve nothing less.”
It’s time for Democrats in Congress to do their job, negotiate in good faith & reach an agreement that ends the humanitarian & security crisis at our border. The American people deserve nothing less. Read my op-ed in @USATODAY: https://t.co/8czwaC6U4y
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) January 16, 2019