Article snippet: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Thursday said that Congress should pass a stopgap spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) if President Trump won't agree to the proposed $1.6 billion for border security. Schumer said Trump had "two good bipartisan options" to avoid a shutdown — the Senate's DHS bill or a continuing resolution — both of which, he predicted, would get more than the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate. "If the president doesn't want to agree to the bipartisan bill, we could avoid a shutdown by passing a continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security. We think it should be for the whole year. It would keep the government open and still provide another $1.3 billion for border security," Schumer said from the Senate floor. Congress has until Dec. 7 to pass seven of 12 appropriations bills, including DHS, and avoid a partial government shutdown. But talks have been snarled by a months-long fight over Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall. Both sides have stepped up their public posturing as lawmakers eye next week's deadline. Schumer, during his floor speech, pointed the blame for a potential shutdown directly at the president, saying if they had a lapse in funding for part of the government the president would be entirely responsible. Schumer said the seven appropriations bills are "hanging in the balance for one reason and one reason only — saying on Wednesday that he would be "totally willing" to for... Link to the full article to read more