White House Rolls Back Shutdown Demands on Border Wall, Okays Subsidies

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and Hill look closer to a deal as the Trump Administration has backed down on demands for a downpayment on the border wall in FY 2017. The decision by Trump to postpone a battle over wall funding until the fall, if necessary, came as a victory for Democrats who oppose a wall and a comfort for Republican negotiators who were given more freedom to maneuver to get a deal in place that would prevent a government shutdown. 

A bigger sticking point has been the ACA subsidies. This afternoon, the White House has said that it will continue paying Affordable Care Act cost-sharing subsidies, removing the biggest remaining hurdle in the negotiations to avoid a government shutdown.

Negotiations continue, but a short term CR may still be in order.