Trump ‘Strongly’ Considering Serious Action at U.S.-Mexico Border to Stop Spread of Coronavirus

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President Donald Trump said Saturday that American officials are strongly considering shutting the U.S.-Mexico border amid concerns over the coronavirus.

When asked at a press conference if he was considering closing the border, Trump answered in the affirmative, Reuters reported.

“We are looking also at southern border,” Trump said. “We have received a lot of power on the southern border over the last couple years from the courts, but we are looking at that very strongly.”

Earlier on Saturday, Reuters reported, citing two Department of Homeland Security officials, that Trump was considering taking action at the border. However, despite seemingly confirming the reporting, Trump later downplayed his statement, saying that officials are “thinking about all borders.”

Vice President Mike Pence also announced during the press conference that the U.S. would impose new travel restrictions against Iran, South Korea, and Italy. (Read more from “Trump ‘Strongly’ Considering Serious Action at U.S.-Mexico Border to Stop Spread of Coronavirus” HERE)

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House Business Grinds to Halt, as Scott, Giddings Argue Over Personal Bill on Abortion

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Business in the House ground to a halt this morning, as Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, mounted an unsuccessful parliamentary maneuver to pull Scott’s “Abortion Human Rights Act” personal bill, HB 361, out of the Ways & Means Committee to the House floor. That prompted much back-and-forth over the committee system and whether it’s working as it should, and over the power of committee chairs to stop bills from proceeding, simply by not scheduling them for hearings. House Transportation Chairman Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, told the House, “There has to be a backstop somewhere. If you don’t have the backstop, you’re going to continue on forever and ever. … We’ve seen other states where they run a full-time legislature. I don’t think that’s what the people of Idaho want.”

Scott said, “There’s no rules that personal bills are personal bills. It has a bill number. It’s been sitting in committee.” Giddings demanded to know how many personal bills are sitting in the Ways & Means Committee without hearings; Speaker Scott Bedke ruled the question out of order.

Asked what rule lays out that procedure, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Robert Anderst, R-Nampa, said, “That’s how we’ve operated since I’ve been here.”

Scott said, “We just want a public hearing. We just want both sides of the issue to be heard. … It’s causing a divide in conservatives, this whole issue. …That’s why I’d like this issue to be heard.” (Read more from “House Business Grinds to Halt, as Scott, Giddings Argue Over Personal Bill on Abortion” HERE)

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