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US Senate approves border bill

WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- US Senators voted to pass a border security legislation on Thursday to avert a new government shutdown that would start tomorrow but President Donald Trump is expected to declare national emergency.
Moments ahead of the vote, the Majority Leader Mitchell McConnell interrupted a Senate floor speech to announce that Trump would sign the border legislation and declare a national emergency.
The legislation does not include the USD 5.7 billion President Trump sought for a border wall, but he pledged to sign it while taking separate action to procure wall funding without approval from Congress.
The declaration of national emergency would allow the president to circumvent Congress and use the military to build his wall.
The House is preparing to vote on the legislation Thursday evening. (pickup previous) rsr.gb