Government shutdown 2018: what we know so far

[Tony Koretz]

Government shutdown 2018: what we know so far

The government officially shut down Friday at midnight, but the House and Senate are still in session this weekend.

Saturday was the first day of a partial government shutdown, after a short-term bill to fund the government failed to get enough Senate votes to overcome a filibuster on Friday night.

The federal government may be shut down, but the House and Senate are still in session this weekend, attempting to reach a last-minute deal to re-open it. Though negotiations are continuing behind the scenes, Democrats and Republicans are publicly digging into their respective positions and blaming each other for the situation.

Basically, things are still in disarray on Capitol Hill, and there’s no easy way out. Here’s what we know so far.

House Republicans throw a wrench in weekend negotiations
House Republicans have complicated this weekend’s talks by vowing to not negotiate on an immigration deal — a must-have for Democrats — unless a spending bill is passed and the government re-opens.

“Senate Democrats shut down this government, and now Senate Democrats need to open this government back up,” said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-WI) during a Saturday speech. Ryan told Democrats to “Come to your senses, do the right thing.”

Across the Capitol basement, House Democrats held their own press conference to blast Republicans for refusing to negotiate and said they would not pass a short-term spending bill unless Republicans agreed to parity on defense and non-defense spending and an immigration deal.

“I have said, and I say it again that we are willing to go to a short-term CR if we have come to an agreement on parity, which is important to us…if we come to an agreement for an outline on DACA and border security,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). “We’re saying these are the terms under which we’ll pass the appropriations committee to write the bills. Then there’s reason to have a CR. Otherwise, these could go on forever.”

With disagreement not only among Republicans and Democrats, but also House and Senate leaders on which way to go, Pelosi called on President Trump to lead in the situation and get everyone into the same room to hash out their disagreement.

“He’s got to get everyone in a room,” Pelosi said. “He’s got to lead.”

But so far, the Trump White House seems to be siding with House Republicans, releasing a statement late Friday night saying they would not negotiate over immigration as long as the government is shut down.

Read more https://www.vox.com/2018/1/18/16906202/government-shutdown-2018-congress-what-we-know

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