Your 1600 Daily:
President Trump delivers huge win for military President Donald J. Trump signed a two-year, bipartisan budget bill this morning that ends Congress’ brief overnight shutdown of the federal government.
“Just signed Bill. Our Military will now be stronger than ever before,” President Trump tweeted this morning. “We love and need our Military and gave them everything — and more. First time this has happened in a long time.”
The President then laid out what must be accomplished in 2018. “Costs on non-military lines will never come down if we do not elect more Republicans in the 2018 Election, and beyond,” he tweeted. “This Bill is a BIG VICTORY for our Military, but much waste in order to get Dem votes.”
Read more: Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Defense Secretary James Mattis explain the budget deal.
‘A magnificent Winter Olympics’ The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, kicked off in spectacular fashion with its Opening Ceremony early this morning. Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence are in South Korea to lead the American Olympic delegation.
The Vice President held a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Seoul yesterday before the Games. “Allow me to join President Trump in congratulating South Korea on what we know, in his words, ‘will be a magnificent Winter Olympics,’” Vice President Pence said.
As U.S. athletes compete in the Games, America will remain vigilant against threats to national security. “We’ll be there to cheer on our American athletes, but we’ll also be there to stand with our allies and remind the world that North Korea is the most tyrannical and oppressive regime on the planet,” the Vice President said Wednesday. “The United States of America will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder [with South Koreans] in our effort to bring maximum pressure to bear on North Korea,” he told President Moon yesterday.
Watch: Vice President Pence visits Japan earlier this week
The economic harm caused by our immigration system As President Trump applauds congressional leaders for their budget deal that funds our great military for two years, he and Americans turn their sights to the pressing need for immigration reform in the weeks ahead.
“It is time to create a merit-based immigration system that makes sense for a modern economy,” the President has said. Here’s what he means:
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Low-skilled labor: Low-skilled immigration has put downward pressure on U.S. wages at the expense of vulnerable American workers. Real hourly wages for Americans with a high school education or less are lower today than in 1979.
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A strain on public resources: A majority, 51 percent, of immigrant-headed households uses at least one welfare program.
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Reform to benefit the economy: President Trump’s immigration framework would end the visa lottery program and help reduce the backlog of high-skilled, employment-based immigrant cases.
Read more about how America’s immigration system prioritizes all the wrong things.
Photo of the Day
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast | February 8, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
POTUS TODAY
This morning, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing and later meet with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. In the afternoon, the President will meet with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
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