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| Trump says chances of government shutdown 'probably very good' – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Never fear - the North American Aerospace Defense Command will still track Santa Claus, as it does every year, if there is a government shutdown. | |
| “Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year,” the agency said. | |
| In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year. pic.twitter.com/fY0oyjrdDc | |
| Donald Trump has officially canceled his plans to travel today to Mar-a-Lago, Politico reports. | |
| News: Trump's travel to Mar-a-Lago today has been officially canceled, per internal WH e-mail. | |
| The White House had said Trump would not go forward with the planned trip to his Florida golf club if there is a government shutdown. | |
| Federal workers will still receive their next paycheck if the government partially shuts down at midnight. | |
| The next check covers pay for December 9 through December 22, the Office of Management and Budget says, per the Hill. | |
| So if the government shuts down at midnight, federal workers will still be due pay for all of those days except Dec. 22, Saturday. They would get a check that would subtract one day’s pay. | |
| “As necessary, agencies and payroll providers may finalize the processing of paychecks for the December 9-22 biweekly pay period as an orderly shutdown activity,” the OMB guidance said. | |
| Those checks will go out between December 28 and January 3. If a shutdown lasts long enough, about 800,000 federal employees won’t get paid for the next pay period. | |
| Donald Trump says the odds of a government shutdown are “probably pretty good,” per CNN. | |
| Speaking at a bill signing, he said: “It’s really up to the Democrats. Totally up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have the shutdown. It’s possible we will have a shutdown. I would say the chances are probably very good because I don’t think Democrats care so much about this issue.” | |
| “We’re totally prepared for a very long shutdown,” Trump added, per CBS. | |
| Sen. Chuck Grassley says there will “probably” be a government shutdown, per CNN. | Sen. Chuck Grassley says there will “probably” be a government shutdown, per CNN. |
| “I was in an hour discussion on that and there’s no conclusion,” the Iowa Republican said when asked about next steps after the Senate’s expected rejection of a government funding bill that contains money for Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. | “I was in an hour discussion on that and there’s no conclusion,” the Iowa Republican said when asked about next steps after the Senate’s expected rejection of a government funding bill that contains money for Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. |
| Sen. Grassley on next steps after Senate rejects the House CR: "I was in an hour discussion on that and there's no conclusion."I asked him does that mean a shutdown is happening? "Probably," he said. | Sen. Grassley on next steps after Senate rejects the House CR: "I was in an hour discussion on that and there's no conclusion."I asked him does that mean a shutdown is happening? "Probably," he said. |
| Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling for immediate Senate hearings on Donald Trump’s decision to pull all US troops out of Syria, Reuters reports. | Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling for immediate Senate hearings on Donald Trump’s decision to pull all US troops out of Syria, Reuters reports. |
| Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said he wants Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to testify at the hearing. | Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said he wants Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to testify at the hearing. |
| Mattis quit in protest after Trump’s decision, sending a resignation letter citing fundamental disagreements on the US role in the world and treatment of its allies. | Mattis quit in protest after Trump’s decision, sending a resignation letter citing fundamental disagreements on the US role in the world and treatment of its allies. |
| Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has cancelled an upcoming trip to Israel after submitting his resignation, Axios reports. | Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has cancelled an upcoming trip to Israel after submitting his resignation, Axios reports. |
| Mattis had planned to travel to Israel next week for talks on Syria and Iran. | Mattis had planned to travel to Israel next week for talks on Syria and Iran. |
| The defense secretary plans to stay in his post through February. | The defense secretary plans to stay in his post through February. |
| The Senate is now voting on whether to begin debate on the government funding bill that contains $5.7bn for a border wall. | The Senate is now voting on whether to begin debate on the government funding bill that contains $5.7bn for a border wall. |
| That motion needs only 50 votes to proceed, whereas ending debate and moving on to a final vote will need 60 votes. | That motion needs only 50 votes to proceed, whereas ending debate and moving on to a final vote will need 60 votes. |
| One Republican, Jeff Flake of Arizona, voted no, according to CNN. | One Republican, Jeff Flake of Arizona, voted no, according to CNN. |
| The vote is being held open while Senators continue to return from aborted holiday travel, Senator Bob Corker told CNN. | The vote is being held open while Senators continue to return from aborted holiday travel, Senator Bob Corker told CNN. |
| Corker, a Tennesee Republican, hasn’t voted yet and hasn’t said how he will vote. | Corker, a Tennesee Republican, hasn’t voted yet and hasn’t said how he will vote. |
| Corker told reporters just now that he was told they are going to hold the vote open for a while to wait for senators to rerun from the MidwestGOP going to discuss next steps at lunch. He hasn’t voted yet and is non-committal if he will vote to proceed | Corker told reporters just now that he was told they are going to hold the vote open for a while to wait for senators to rerun from the MidwestGOP going to discuss next steps at lunch. He hasn’t voted yet and is non-committal if he will vote to proceed |
| Donald Trump has signed the criminal justice reform bill that passed Congress in a rare act of bipartisanship, per CBS. | Donald Trump has signed the criminal justice reform bill that passed Congress in a rare act of bipartisanship, per CBS. |
| The bill, called the First Step Act, will reduce mandatory minimum sentences for a number of drug-related crimes, allow judges to circumvent federal mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders when they see fit, expand rehabilitative opportunities for federal prisoners. It also bans the shackling of pregnant women. | The bill, called the First Step Act, will reduce mandatory minimum sentences for a number of drug-related crimes, allow judges to circumvent federal mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders when they see fit, expand rehabilitative opportunities for federal prisoners. It also bans the shackling of pregnant women. |
| Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, returning from a meeting with Donald Trump, said GOP senators had a “good conversation” with the President and “we are going to continue to be talking about a way forward,” according to CNN. | Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, returning from a meeting with Donald Trump, said GOP senators had a “good conversation” with the President and “we are going to continue to be talking about a way forward,” according to CNN. |
| McConnell then spoke on the Senate floor, urging lawmakers to approve a government funding bill with $5.7bn for a border wall. | McConnell then spoke on the Senate floor, urging lawmakers to approve a government funding bill with $5.7bn for a border wall. |
| “Let’s not end the year the way we began. With another shut down over the issue of illegal immigration. Remember this back in January?” he said. “Let’s pass it and let’s finish our work for this year. Let’s secure our country.” | “Let’s not end the year the way we began. With another shut down over the issue of illegal immigration. Remember this back in January?” he said. “Let’s pass it and let’s finish our work for this year. Let’s secure our country.” |