This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/politics/shutdown-trump-senate.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Government Shutdown to Continue for Days as Senate Adjourns Until Thursday | Government Shutdown to Continue for Days as Senate Adjourns Until Thursday |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — As the White House and Democrats remained locked in a standoff over funding for President Trump’s border wall, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, sent his colleagues home for the Christmas holiday on Saturday, virtually ensuring that the government will remain partially shuttered for at least several more days. | WASHINGTON — As the White House and Democrats remained locked in a standoff over funding for President Trump’s border wall, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, sent his colleagues home for the Christmas holiday on Saturday, virtually ensuring that the government will remain partially shuttered for at least several more days. |
| Mr. McConnell’s adjournment of the Senate until Thursday came after a frenzied day of negotiations in Washington and conflicting signals from the White House. Around the country, the partial shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and affects roughly one-quarter of the federal government, deprived 800,000 workers of their pay and was visible at places like national parks, where sites were unstaffed or, in some cases, closed. | Mr. McConnell’s adjournment of the Senate until Thursday came after a frenzied day of negotiations in Washington and conflicting signals from the White House. Around the country, the partial shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and affects roughly one-quarter of the federal government, deprived 800,000 workers of their pay and was visible at places like national parks, where sites were unstaffed or, in some cases, closed. |
| Mr. Trump is demanding $5 billion for the “big, beautiful wall” he promised to build at the southern border, and in a conference call with reporters, administration officials insisted that he would accept nothing less. But even as they spoke, Vice President Mike Pence was on his way to the Capitol to present an offer to the top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York. | Mr. Trump is demanding $5 billion for the “big, beautiful wall” he promised to build at the southern border, and in a conference call with reporters, administration officials insisted that he would accept nothing less. But even as they spoke, Vice President Mike Pence was on his way to the Capitol to present an offer to the top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York. |
| Those talks, however, appeared to make little headway. Mr. Pence was tight-lipped as he left Mr. Schumer’s office — “We’re still talking,” he said — while a spokesman for Mr. Schumer, Justin Goodman, pronounced the two sides “very far apart.” Mr. McConnell then announced the Senate’s adjournment and left the Capitol to fly home to Kentucky for the holiday. | Those talks, however, appeared to make little headway. Mr. Pence was tight-lipped as he left Mr. Schumer’s office — “We’re still talking,” he said — while a spokesman for Mr. Schumer, Justin Goodman, pronounced the two sides “very far apart.” Mr. McConnell then announced the Senate’s adjournment and left the Capitol to fly home to Kentucky for the holiday. |
| With lawmakers cleared out of Washington and no end to the impasse in sight, some speculated that it would be left to Democrats to reopen the government when they take over the House next month. In an interview Saturday morning, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democrats’ nominee to be speaker, vowed that they would do just that. | With lawmakers cleared out of Washington and no end to the impasse in sight, some speculated that it would be left to Democrats to reopen the government when they take over the House next month. In an interview Saturday morning, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democrats’ nominee to be speaker, vowed that they would do just that. |
| “We have certainty,” Ms. Pelosi declared. “We will end this the first week in January.” | “We have certainty,” Ms. Pelosi declared. “We will end this the first week in January.” |
| The shutdown that began Saturday was the third of Mr. Trump’s 23 months in office and an ignominious end to a year that began much the same way, with a three-day government shutdown in January. | The shutdown that began Saturday was the third of Mr. Trump’s 23 months in office and an ignominious end to a year that began much the same way, with a three-day government shutdown in January. |
| The latest breakdown, which hinges almost entirely on the impulses of a mercurial president, only added to the sense that, as Senator Claire McCaskill, the departing Democrat from Missouri, said in her recent farewell speech, “something is broken, and if we don’t have the strength to look in the mirror and fix it, the American people are going to grow more and more cynical.” | The latest breakdown, which hinges almost entirely on the impulses of a mercurial president, only added to the sense that, as Senator Claire McCaskill, the departing Democrat from Missouri, said in her recent farewell speech, “something is broken, and if we don’t have the strength to look in the mirror and fix it, the American people are going to grow more and more cynical.” |
| With Senate Democrats saying they will never accede to Mr. Trump’s insistence on the $5 billion for his wall, and the White House offering no indication that the president will accept less, nine of the federal government’s 15 cabinet-level departments have officially shuttered. They include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security and the Interior; other agencies, like the Defense Department, are unaffected because Congress had already approved their spending. | With Senate Democrats saying they will never accede to Mr. Trump’s insistence on the $5 billion for his wall, and the White House offering no indication that the president will accept less, nine of the federal government’s 15 cabinet-level departments have officially shuttered. They include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security and the Interior; other agencies, like the Defense Department, are unaffected because Congress had already approved their spending. |
| Roughly 380,000 workers were expected to be sent home, and another 420,000 considered too essential to be furloughed — including airport security officials and Customs and Border Patrol officers — were to remain on the job without pay. The shutdown’s effects will become more pronounced on Wednesday, when workers had been scheduled to return after the holiday. | Roughly 380,000 workers were expected to be sent home, and another 420,000 considered too essential to be furloughed — including airport security officials and Customs and Border Patrol officers — were to remain on the job without pay. The shutdown’s effects will become more pronounced on Wednesday, when workers had been scheduled to return after the holiday. |
| In South Texas on Saturday morning, work by border security officials appeared to continue as usual despite the shutdown. A Customs and Border Protection helicopter hovered over the Rio Grande, and Border Patrol pickup trucks kicked up dirt as they drove on unpaved roads, with one bouncing across the flood levee, the same structure where Mr. Trump said he aims to construct a border wall. | In South Texas on Saturday morning, work by border security officials appeared to continue as usual despite the shutdown. A Customs and Border Protection helicopter hovered over the Rio Grande, and Border Patrol pickup trucks kicked up dirt as they drove on unpaved roads, with one bouncing across the flood levee, the same structure where Mr. Trump said he aims to construct a border wall. |
| “They’re going to do their job like they’re supposed to,” said Art Del Cueto, an agent in Arizona and vice president of the agency’s labor union. “Nothing changes, except they don’t get paid.” | “They’re going to do their job like they’re supposed to,” said Art Del Cueto, an agent in Arizona and vice president of the agency’s labor union. “Nothing changes, except they don’t get paid.” |
| Mr. Trump’s plans were upended as well. The president said he would forgo his Christmas trip to his Palm Beach, Fla., retreat, Mar-a-Lago, where he had intended to interview a host of possible candidates for cabinet secretary positions. Instead, the first lady, Melania Trump, will return to Washington for the holiday. | Mr. Trump’s plans were upended as well. The president said he would forgo his Christmas trip to his Palm Beach, Fla., retreat, Mar-a-Lago, where he had intended to interview a host of possible candidates for cabinet secretary positions. Instead, the first lady, Melania Trump, will return to Washington for the holiday. |
| In the meantime, one nemesis of the president — the celebrity chef José Andrés, who backed out of a deal to open a restaurant in the Trump hotel in Washington after Mr. Trump made derogatory remarks about Mexicans — delighted a bit in tweaking the president. | In the meantime, one nemesis of the president — the celebrity chef José Andrés, who backed out of a deal to open a restaurant in the Trump hotel in Washington after Mr. Trump made derogatory remarks about Mexicans — delighted a bit in tweaking the president. |
| “All my beautiful hardworking people of the Federal Goverment, come to any of my places with your families at the bar between 2-5 pm for a free sandwich,” Mr. Andrés wrote on Twitter. “Everyday until back to work!” | “All my beautiful hardworking people of the Federal Goverment, come to any of my places with your families at the bar between 2-5 pm for a free sandwich,” Mr. Andrés wrote on Twitter. “Everyday until back to work!” |
| In the Capitol, the usual Washington blame game was in full swing. The two Senate leaders — Mr. McConnell and Mr. Schumer — gave dueling speeches on the Senate floor, with Mr. McConnell pointing the finger at Democrats and Mr. Schumer pointing the finger at Mr. Trump. | In the Capitol, the usual Washington blame game was in full swing. The two Senate leaders — Mr. McConnell and Mr. Schumer — gave dueling speeches on the Senate floor, with Mr. McConnell pointing the finger at Democrats and Mr. Schumer pointing the finger at Mr. Trump. |
| “They brought this about because they’re under a lot of pressure — we all know this — from their far left and feel compelled to disagree with the president,” Mr. McConnell said, referring to Democrats. He said Republicans had “pushed the pause button until the president, from whom we will need a signature, and Senate Democrats, from whom we will need votes, reach an agreement.” | “They brought this about because they’re under a lot of pressure — we all know this — from their far left and feel compelled to disagree with the president,” Mr. McConnell said, referring to Democrats. He said Republicans had “pushed the pause button until the president, from whom we will need a signature, and Senate Democrats, from whom we will need votes, reach an agreement.” |
| Mr. Schumer, for his part, said the shutdown had occurred “because of one person and one person alone — President Trump. We arrived at this moment because President Trump has been on a destructive two-week temper tantrum demanding the American taxpayer pony up for an expensive and ineffective border wall that the president promised Mexico would pay for.” | Mr. Schumer, for his part, said the shutdown had occurred “because of one person and one person alone — President Trump. We arrived at this moment because President Trump has been on a destructive two-week temper tantrum demanding the American taxpayer pony up for an expensive and ineffective border wall that the president promised Mexico would pay for.” |
| Mr. Trump, after producing a flurry of photos, videos and tweets in recent days demanding the border wall, began Saturday in unusual silence. Then, a little before noon, he took to Twitter to say that he was “in the White House, working hard.” | |
| “We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay,” he wrote, not specifically mentioning his much-promised wall. | “We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay,” he wrote, not specifically mentioning his much-promised wall. |
| While administration officials were negotiating with Senate Democrats, Mr. Trump hosted a Republicans-only lunch at the White House to discuss the talks; the guests included Mr. Pence, Senator Richard C. Shelby, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and several leaders of the House Freedom Caucus, die-hard Trump supporters who have been leading the push for wall funding and encouraging the president to demand it. | While administration officials were negotiating with Senate Democrats, Mr. Trump hosted a Republicans-only lunch at the White House to discuss the talks; the guests included Mr. Pence, Senator Richard C. Shelby, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and several leaders of the House Freedom Caucus, die-hard Trump supporters who have been leading the push for wall funding and encouraging the president to demand it. |
| When the lunch was over, Mr. Shelby returned to the Capitol, as did Mr. Pence. Mr. Shelby told reporters that the two sides were making progress, but that a quick resolution was unlikely. He offered no details of Mr. Pence’s proposal, nor did the White House or Mr. Schumer’s office. | When the lunch was over, Mr. Shelby returned to the Capitol, as did Mr. Pence. Mr. Shelby told reporters that the two sides were making progress, but that a quick resolution was unlikely. He offered no details of Mr. Pence’s proposal, nor did the White House or Mr. Schumer’s office. |
| In the House, which was also in session briefly on Saturday, Representative Steny D. Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip, went to the floor around noon to press Republicans to bring up a bill that would reopen the government. But Speaker Paul D. Ryan refused to recognize him, “gaveling the House into recess as soon as he convened it,” Mr. Hoyer later said. | |
| Saturday’s developments followed a tumultuous week in the Capitol. On Thursday, the Republican-led House, voting mostly along party lines, passed a stopgap spending measure to fund the nine agencies, and attached $5.7 billion to it for border security and disaster relief. | Saturday’s developments followed a tumultuous week in the Capitol. On Thursday, the Republican-led House, voting mostly along party lines, passed a stopgap spending measure to fund the nine agencies, and attached $5.7 billion to it for border security and disaster relief. |
| The Senate on Friday voted 48 to 47, with Mr. Pence breaking a tie, to begin debate on that legislation. But leaders of both parties agreed that the vote was largely meaningless and that the House bill had no chance of passing the Senate, because Republicans could not get help from Democrats to muster the 60 votes required under Senate rules. That sent White House and congressional officials back to the negotiating table. | The Senate on Friday voted 48 to 47, with Mr. Pence breaking a tie, to begin debate on that legislation. But leaders of both parties agreed that the vote was largely meaningless and that the House bill had no chance of passing the Senate, because Republicans could not get help from Democrats to muster the 60 votes required under Senate rules. That sent White House and congressional officials back to the negotiating table. |
| With Mr. Trump publicly sticking to his demand of $5 billion for a wall — or, as he said on Twitter on Friday, “artistically designed steel slats” — there were a number of potential compromises that would have forced him to drop it, by perhaps leaving out spending on a wall while instead beefing up spending on other security measures at the border, according to people with knowledge of the talks. | With Mr. Trump publicly sticking to his demand of $5 billion for a wall — or, as he said on Twitter on Friday, “artistically designed steel slats” — there were a number of potential compromises that would have forced him to drop it, by perhaps leaving out spending on a wall while instead beefing up spending on other security measures at the border, according to people with knowledge of the talks. |
| Among the options discussed behind closed doors were proposals that would allocate anywhere from $1.6 billion to $2.5 billion to border security, none of which could be spent on a wall. But it was not clear that conservatives in the House, who insisted on Thursday on adding the $5.7 billion for the barrier the president has demanded, would back that solution. | Among the options discussed behind closed doors were proposals that would allocate anywhere from $1.6 billion to $2.5 billion to border security, none of which could be spent on a wall. But it was not clear that conservatives in the House, who insisted on Thursday on adding the $5.7 billion for the barrier the president has demanded, would back that solution. |
| Lawmakers were exasperated and eager to head home. Some held out hope that Democrats would meet the White House halfway on Mr. Trump’s $5 billion demand. Democrats in the Senate have offered, at various points, $1.3 billion or $1.6 billion for border security, including fencing — but not a wall. | Lawmakers were exasperated and eager to head home. Some held out hope that Democrats would meet the White House halfway on Mr. Trump’s $5 billion demand. Democrats in the Senate have offered, at various points, $1.3 billion or $1.6 billion for border security, including fencing — but not a wall. |
| “This has been the interesting challenge,” Senator James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, told CNN on Saturday morning. He added, “I think there’s a general agreement now that we need to do border security; now it’s figuring out the amount.” | “This has been the interesting challenge,” Senator James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, told CNN on Saturday morning. He added, “I think there’s a general agreement now that we need to do border security; now it’s figuring out the amount.” |
| The government will incur significant costs in an extended shutdown, as furloughed employees are eventually repaid for time not worked, and officials spend unproductive time dealing with the closing. And the effects will spread over time. | The government will incur significant costs in an extended shutdown, as furloughed employees are eventually repaid for time not worked, and officials spend unproductive time dealing with the closing. And the effects will spread over time. |
| The Smithsonian Institution said it had enough money stored away that its museums, as well as the National Zoo in Washington, could remain open through Jan. 1. Even agencies that remained open, though, said they may need to curb their operations. The National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., for example, said that it would still issue its usual predictions and alerts, but that it would limit social media posts “to subjects that are directly related to forecasts and warnings.” | The Smithsonian Institution said it had enough money stored away that its museums, as well as the National Zoo in Washington, could remain open through Jan. 1. Even agencies that remained open, though, said they may need to curb their operations. The National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., for example, said that it would still issue its usual predictions and alerts, but that it would limit social media posts “to subjects that are directly related to forecasts and warnings.” |
| In Windsor Locks, Conn., a Transportation Security Administration agent stacked plastic bins at Bradley International Airport late Friday. The agent, Daniel Defosse, said he wasn’t too upset that he would be working without pay. “It’s a job. It comes with the territory, honestly,” he said. Still, he added, “it’s not going to be fun, but we’ve got to do it.” | In Windsor Locks, Conn., a Transportation Security Administration agent stacked plastic bins at Bradley International Airport late Friday. The agent, Daniel Defosse, said he wasn’t too upset that he would be working without pay. “It’s a job. It comes with the territory, honestly,” he said. Still, he added, “it’s not going to be fun, but we’ve got to do it.” |