Congress ready for the wall

Peña Nieto says Mexico does not “believe” in walls. Of course. That would be like rats "believing" in traps. - Maven Stark

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will authorize $12 billion to $15 billion for a wall spanning the entire U.S.-Mexico border as soon as Sept. 30, the Republican leaders said Thursday. They would not say whether they would offset the costs of the wall — which President Trump repeatedly vowed would be paid for by Mexico — with budget cuts elsewhere or taxes. The comments came midway through the Republicans’ annual retreat, this year called “Congress of Tomorrow,” during which lawmakers are plotting the first 200 days of action on such issues as repealing and replacing Obamacare and reforming the tax code. InsideGov | Graphiq After Ryan was asked several times if he planned to offset the billions for the wall, the speaker said he would “wait and see” what the Trump administration proposed. “I’m not going to get ahead of a policy and bill that has not been written yet,” Ryan told reporters. When asked if the lawmakers were concerned about Trump’s relationship with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Ryan said, “I think it’ll be fine.” Two hours after Ryan’s comment, the Mexican president announced on Twitter that he was canceling his meeting with Trump next week.

Peña Nieto released a blistering video address on Twitter Wednesday, saying Mexico does not “believe” in walls. “I’ll say it again, Mexico will not pay for any wall,” he added. Trump appeared to goad Peña Nieto into cancelling the meeting Thursday morning, saying it might be better for Peña Nieto to skip the trip if he didn’t plan to fund the wall.

“We intend to address the wall issue ourselves,” McConnell said. “The president can deal with his relations with other countries.” In an interview with ABC News that aired Wednesday, Trump again claimed that Mexico would pay for the wall “in a form, … it may be a complicated form.” He did not elaborate. Trump signed an executive order Wednesday saying it was his administration’s policy to immediately begin the wall’s construction. But the text of the order defines a wall as a “contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous and impassable physical barrier.” That leaves open the possibility that the “wall” could resemble existing fencing.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at the GOP. 

Nearly 700 miles of the southern border is already fenced off, thanks to the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which garnered bipartisan support. (Ryan pointed out that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted for it.) One analysis suggests building an entirely new wall would cost $40 billion, far more than the $15 billion McConnell and Ryan are talking about. Ryan never used the word “wall” during his brief press conference with reporters, instead describing the barrier as a fulfillment of the Secure Fence Act. Trump described the wall he envisioned as “impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful” during the campaign, at one time saying it should be 55 feet tall. Trump also claimed that there was “a BIG difference” between a “wall” and a “fence.” It’s unclear if that’s what Congress has in mind.

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Republicans will finally succeed in defunding Planned Parenthood

Today, Speaker of the House Paul
Ryan announced that when Republicans repeal Obamacare later this month, they'll include a provision to defund Planned Parenthood.

 The organization, which administers millions of cancer and STI and STD tests to women and some men, receives $500 million in federal government funds. The amount accounts for approximately 40 percent of its $1.3 billion in revenue, which NPR writes "suggests that the organization would be in some heavy financial trouble without that public funding." It cannot be written or tweeted or said too many times: abortions account for around three percent of the services that
 Planned Parenthood provides. And moreover, federal money can't be used for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother. Which means that despite the fact that 2.5 million men and women visit Planned Parenthood to get an annual checkup, to screen for disease, to receive contraception, Republicans are still willing to put all that at risk because of how #onbrand it is for them to cut funds to the organization.

If you've been paying attention over the past few years, you know this isn't the first time they've tried to do it. They've threatened to strip Planned Parenthood of government funds dozens of times. And in 2015, Republicans successfully pushed a reconciliation bill-a bill that doesn't need to reach the usual 60-vote threshold to pass and can't be filibustered- in both houses. President Obama vetoed it, saving both his own healthcare law and Planned Parenthood.

When he takes office next month, Trump is expected to approve it. "Planned Parenthood legislation would be in our reconciliation bill," Ryan said during a press conference this afternoon. He didn't say more.

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards had more to add, responding via a press release to the news: "Two and a half million women, men and young people come through our doors every year for lifesaving care like cancer screenings, birth control, and STI and STD tests," she said, "and they cannot afford to have basic reproductive health care attacked."


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