WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced he will support the final fiscal 2019 spending agreement that was ironed out by a group of bipartisan, bicameral Congressional negotiators.  The bill will avert another government shutdown ahead of Friday’s deadline.  It also resolves a long-standing impasse over President Trump’s demands for $5.7 billion for a border wall by including $1.375 billion in funding for 55 miles of barrier fencing along the U.S. southern border.

“This represents a reasonable yet imperfect compromise.  President Trump says he is still on the fence about signing it, but the American people sent him a very clear message that they opposed his wasteful government shutdown and don’t want another one. 

“This bipartisan agreement clears a path to responsibly fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends September 30, and includes the bipartisan Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development spending bill I wrote with Senator Collins. 

“We need to get the federal government working again and prioritize investments that make our country stronger and more secure.”