MEMPHIS, Tennessee, March 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urged Republicans in Congress to work through the upcoming Easter holiday in a bid to pass a voter identification bill that Democrats strongly oppose.
Trump said the voting bill should be included in any agreement to fund the Homeland Security department, which has been partially shut down since February 13 after Democrats demanded reforms to immigration enforcement.
“I’m requesting that the Republican senators do that immediately. You don’t have to take a fast vote. Don’t worry about Easter, going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus,” Trump told a roundtable event in Memphis, Tennessee.
Lawmakers are due to take a two-week Easter recess starting at the end of this week.
The lack of funds means tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration personnel have worked without pay for five weeks, leading some airport security workers to call in sick or quit entirely.
The voting bill would voters provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID for casting ballots. The bill currently lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome Democratic opposition in the 100-member Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson and Ryan Patrick Jones;Editing by David Ljunggren)
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