With the Senate voting to end the government shutdown, there is still work ahead to prepare about what will happen three weeks from now, but meanwhile, the bipartisan agreement that was reached was "really good to see," Sen. Jeff Flake said Monday.
"It's a victory for, I think everybody, when the government opens back up," the Arizona Republican, who has often sparred with President Donald Trump, told Capitol Hill reporters following the Senate vote.
However, the worst outcome would be getting to March 5, the deadline for legalizing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, without having a bill negotiated.
"We will try to put something through that looks like the legislative equivalent of DACA," said Flake. "We would have to wait and for something will be certain again ... a deal would be done, but it wouldn't be permanent."
The next steps for a bipartisan group will be to make sure an new bill is in place, said Flake, as that will make for an easier time when the current legislation expires on Feb. 8.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated he'll be willing to open up additional money for a border wall, said Flake.
"What is on the table so far and what we have in the bill so far is what the president has requested for this next year," said Flake. "If additional commitments need to be made in terms of a mix of authorization and appropriation beyond that time we will do that. Is it going to be a wall? The president has said not all of it is a wall, some of it is a fence. Most of it is a fence, actually. It is a border wall system I guess you can call it. Whatever it is it will be additional border security and that is important."