The Democratic legislation will mark the first major battle pitting the incoming Democratic House majority led by Nancy Pelosi against Trump and McConnell. Democrats oppose Trump's demand for wall funding, with Pelosi calling the wall immoral, ineffective and expensive. "Then they are complicit with President Trump in continuing the Trump shutdown and in holding the health and safety of the American people and workers' paychecks hostage over the wall," Pelosi and Schumer said in their statement. The Senate on Dec. 21 failed to muster the votes needed to pass Republican-backed House legislation that included Trump's wall funding. He also seemed to contradict comments made by outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.

Source: The Star December 31, 2018 17:13 UTC