WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats, whose support is needed to pass more than $1 trillion worth of Cabinet department budgets, are demanding that domestic agencies receive budget increases, not just the Pentagon. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered the message in a letter to GOP leaders on Monday that also restated Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump’s promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The missive comes as Capitol Hill’s defence policy committees are preparing to vote on legislation that would sharply increase funding for defence, adding almost $40 billion on top of Trump’s already generous proposed $54 billion increase for the Pentagon. Democrats say nondefense programs should receive increases equal to those given defence, but they settled for less in this year’s wrap-up spending bill.

Source: National Post June 26, 2017 16:30 UTC