Schumer asks Trump to "give up the wall" while DC is in deadlock



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Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., called on President Trump to "abandon the wall" Saturday when he wished to reopen the government, saying that Trump did not have the votes to the Senate to fund it – hours after the government's closure of the deadlock on the financing of Trump's signature campaign promise in 2016.

"It will never be passed by the Senate nor today" Well, neither next week nor next year, so President Trump, if you want to open the government, you have to give up the wall, simply, "Schumer told the Senate.

The partial closure began at midnight on Saturday, a few hours after the House and Senate adjourned without obtaining a funding agreement from the President's Office. The shutdown was to last at least a few days, with sources on both sides of the aisle telling Fox News that Washington could be subject to an extended shutdown. The Senate suspended its business on Saturday afternoon and was not scheduled to meet until Thursday.

Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney arrived at the Capitol on Saturday afternoon to meet with Schumer to continue negotiations to end the conflict. dead end. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Said that "productive talks are continuing".

"When these negotiations result in a solution that is acceptable to all parties – 60 votes in the Senate, a majority in the House and a presidential signature – then we will consider them here in the Senate", did he declare.

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The bargaining point was the financing of the promise of the 2016 Trump campaign's signature campaign of a wall on the southern border. Trump had asked for $ 5.7 billion to fund the wall, and a bill with this funding was passed by the House on Friday. But efforts failed in the Senate, where 60 votes were needed for the vote to be passed, and therefore, Democratic votes are needed in conjunction with the support of the UK Government.

Democrats put mouth watering in thinking that they would support anything close to that. Schumer, in his remarks on Saturday, said the wall was a "right-right bone" and that they had proposed $ 1.3 billion for "border security".

"I heard the president and his allies in the media say that the Democrats do not support border security.Nothing could be further from the truth.The Democrats have always been for intelligent ways and to secure our border, "he said. "We advocate for technology, such as drones and sensors, and inspection equipment."

McConnell accused the Democrats of no longer supporting border security, but they rejected a "reasonable request" for funding of $ 5 billion.

"They refused to meet with President Trump halfway and provided a fifth of the border resources that they were willing to provide just a few months ago," he said. before the Senate.

Trump was eager to blame the Democrats for deadlock and on Friday asked McConnell to invoke the so-called "nuclear option", which would alter the Senate's procedure by requiring that the 39 a simple majority to approve the bill – thus allowing Republicans to override democratic objections.

"Mitch, use the nuclear option and do it! Our country is counting on you! ", He tweeted Friday.

IF A TRUMP DOES NOT GET WALL FUNDING, IT COULD GIVE THOUGHT TO ITS ELECTORAL FUTURE: MOLLIE HEMINGWAY

Last Friday. need for a wall in a video that he posted on Twitter, and he blamed the closure on the Democrats.

"We are going to have a closure, we can not do anything about it because we have Democrats need us their votes, "he said," Call it a Democratic stop, call it what you want, but we need their help to get it approved. "

Contrast with remarks what he did last week during an explosive confrontation between the Oval Office and Schumer and the leader of the Democratic minority. "Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in which he said" proud "to overthrow the government to ensure border security."

"I will take torch. I will be the one who will close it. I'm not going to blame you, "he said.

On Saturday, Trump had lunch at the White House to discuss border security with staff and the biggest Conservatives, including representatives Mark Meadows, RS.C, Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C, and Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah. The inclusion of some of the most radical voices on immigration could probably reinforce Trump's determination against the wall.

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Senate Approves The negotiating bill passed on Wednesday is the basic funding bill, which provided $ 1.6 billion for border security. But he did not spend all the money available under the ceilings of sequestration. There is an additional $ 900 million available, which could theoretically be used to finance the wall. If that were allotted, he could offer Trump a total wall / border package of about $ 2.5 billion.

Although little seems to have moved Saturday, Sunday should be a key day for negotiations to end the closure. Legislators were aiming for an interim agreement on the seven outstanding appropriation bills, to be funded until the end of September 2019. A senior official close to the negotiations told Fox News that it was "deadly". 39 will strive to "see Sunday morning if there is a center of gravity" to have reached an agreement.

Fox News is told that Trump would agree to the increase in funding of the wall and that it would be more effective. Administration thinks it will be able to find additional money in various federal programs that can be "reprogrammed" for the wall Sarah Sanders, press secretary for the White House, said this week in "The US Press Room" that There were "other ways to reach that $ 5 billion."

The Congress leaves some room for maneuver to the movement, followed by a weekend. Christmas Eve – for which Trump granted a day off to his federal employees – then Christmas Day, which means that the partial closure will not be complete until Wednesday

About a quarter of the government will be affected by a closure. Nine of the Cabinet's 15 departments must be closed, as well as dozens of agencies. These departments are: agriculture, trade, internal security, housing and urban development, interior, justice, state, transport and treasury.

Essential staff would still be required to work, but without pay. Almost 90% of Homeland Security personnel are considered essential.

Approximately 420,000 workers will be deemed essential and will work without pay, while more than 380,000 will be returned for closure, which means they will be granted temporary absence from work [19659003] GOVERNMENT JUDGMENT 2018: WHAT WILL CLOSE AND STILL WORK

This will include most NASA workers, housing and urban development, trade and national park services. In addition, about 52,000 IRS workers are reportedly on leave.

The US Postal Service (USPS) will remain open as usual during a partial government shutdown, as it is "an independent entity funded by the sale of our products and services, not taxes, "a spokesman told Fox News.

TSA officers, air traffic controllers and border security officers will also face a closure – even if they may not immediately receive their pay check.

Amtrak, a government-owned company will also continue its normal operations during a short-term closure, confirmed a spokeswoman at Fox News.

Members of Congress will continue to be paid, legislative appropriations having already been approved in September, and the 27th Amendment prohibits "changing the compensation" of legislators after each election.

Fox Pergram of Fox News, Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Mike Emanuel and Matt Leach, as well as The Associ ated Press, contributed to this report.

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