Lawmakers spent a considerable amount of time last week working on and passing four security-related spending bills in a bundle — a so called minibus — that would provide money for President Trump’s border wall and pay for increased security for lawmakers. But all that effort was probably a waste of time absent a budget deal, says CQ’s appropriations reporter Ryan McCrimmon.

Put another dollar in the “Mike” Mulvaney jar https://t.co/VJkMFMxbuJ

— Ryan McCrimmon (@RyanMcCrimmon) July 28, 2017

Rule is adopted, and the $1.6 billion for Trump’s border wall is now folded into the underlying bill https://t.co/KPkgokSPpR

— Ryan McCrimmon (@RyanMcCrimmon) July 27, 2017