WASHINGTON _ A lot of House Republicans are heading out of Washington as their lame-duck session drags on _ and their absences from Congress could be a big barrier to President Donald Trump's proposed border wall.
Republicans lost 40 seats and control of the House in last month's election, the party's worst battering since the Watergate scandal-inspired election of 1974. Democrats will take control of the chamber Jan. 3, making these final weeks of the 2018 session Republicans' last best chance for at least two years to provide big money for the wall.
Yet 23 Republicans were absent Thursday morning when the House met for votes on unrelated legislation _ including Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo, California Rep. Jeff Denham, Missouri Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Ann Wagner and Kansas Rep. Lynn Jenkins. Hartzler was absent because her father died.
