Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio says discussions with President Trump over border security should be separate from passing a federal spending bill to end the three-week long partial government shutdown.
The potential 2020 presidential candidate told reporters during a Wednesday confernce call Ohioans do not belive building a wall is the best option to secure the border with Mexico.
Brown is encouraging Ohioans to put pressure on Republican U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to break the impasse between Congress and the White House. Meanwhile, Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio is ugring President Trump not to declare a national emergency to fund construction of a wall on the Mexican border. Porrtman spoke on the issue during a conference call on Tuesday.
The president suggested he could declare a national emergency after talks to end the partial government shutdown failed. Congressional Democrats are balking at Trump's call for funding for a wall. Portman says a negotiating point could be extending the DACA program.