Washington, DC – The House of Representatives and Senate adjourned Friday evening, Dec. 21 without an approved spending plan, resulting in a partial shutdown of the U.S. Federal Government. Both houses are expected to reconvene Saturday to reach a compromise. A major sticking point, sources reported, is $5 billion in funding to begin the construction of President Trump’s promised Mexican border wall.
The blocked money includes funding for the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and State. Approximately 800,000 federal workers would be adversely affected by the current shutdown.
On a positive note, Social Security checks are still being mailed out.
This statement was issued overnight by House Minority Whip and Maryland Fifth District Congressman Steny H. Hoyer.
“Tonight, President Trump and Republicans chose to end their House Majority the way they have governed over the past two years, rejecting bipartisan compromise and embracing extremism, to the detriment of our country. They are shutting down a large part of the federal government because the Congress wouldn’t spend $5 billion in taxpayer dollars on a border wall that won’t make Americans any safer. As a result, the well-being and security of the American people are at risk, with hundreds of thousands of federal employees including law enforcement, TSA screeners, Forest Service firefighters, food safety inspectors, and others furloughed or forced to work without pay.
“Make no mistake: Democrats have done everything possible to prevent this shutdown, offering multiple compromises, including one agreed to unanimously in the Senate. President Trump and House Republicans rejected them all. The American people know who is responsible for this unnecessary and costly shutdown – all they have to do is listen to President Trump’s statement from December 11 that he would be ‘proud to shut down the government.’
“The House has a responsibility to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen all of government. I urge the Speaker and Majority Leader to bring that to the Floor for a vote immediately so Congress can present the President with a clear path to end this shutdown, which he should sign. Should this shutdown extend into January, which I hope it does not, the new Democratic-led House in the 116th Congress will take action to reopen government and ensure federal employees receive the pay they are due.”