Washington: The partial US government shutdown is
set to stretch on through Christmas as the Senate adjourned with no deal
in sight to end the impasse over funding for Donald Trump's wall on the
US-Mexico border.
Having postponed his holiday trip to Florida to continue talks after
operations for several key US agencies ceased at 12:01 am (0501 GMT),
Trump warned Saturday morning that "it could be a long stay."
Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of the
wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and
the absence of an elusive deal meant federal funds for dozens of
agencies lapsed at midnight Friday. The House of Representatives and the
Senate resumed discussions at noon on Saturday, but the latter chamber
adjourned without a deal being reached.
"The Senate will next meet for a pro forma session on Monday, that's
the 24th. The next scheduled session day will be on the 27th of
December," Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate
floor.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer blasted the president and blamed
him for provoking the shutdown: "President Trump, if you want to open
the government, abandon the wall, plain and simple."
"The Trump shutdown isn't over border
security; it's because President Trump is demanding billions of dollars
for an expensive, ineffective wall that the majority of Americans don't
support."
Most critical US security functions remain operational, but 800,000
federal workers are impacted, with many furloughed just days before
Christmas while others deemed essential are working unpaid.
Additionally, as many other Americans and tourists began their
end-of-the-year holidays, some national parks have shuttered completely,
while others remain open but without any visitor services including
restrooms and maintenance.
New York's governor provided funding
to the Statue of Liberty monument and Ellis Island so those key
attractions could remain open. It remains unclear how long the shutdown
will last, with Washington unable to accomplish one of its most basic
tasks — keeping the government up and running.
"This is a dereliction of duty by Congress and the president," said
David Cox, national president of the American Federation of Government
Employees.
Trump's own Republican party still controls both the House and Senate, but in January the House comes under Democratic control.
Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia — a state bordering the US capital
that is home to many federal workers — urged Trump in a letter Saturday
to push immediate action to end the shutdown, saying it "inflicts real
harm" on workers. "I share your desire for strong economic growth
throughout the United States, but the current partial government
shutdown makes it harder to achieve this goal," the Democratic governor
said.
About three-quarters of the government, including the military and
the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the
end of September 2019, leaving 25 percent unfunded as of Saturday.
Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department
workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice,
Agriculture and State. Should they eventually strike a deal, it could
swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate
Republican Bob Corker.
One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security
funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate
Republican John Cornyn told AFP.
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