US government shutdown: Trump's plan to end closure fails as Senate considers interim deal
Two competing bills both failed to gain 60 votes to overcome cloture, and a short-term deal is reportedly being discussed behind the scenes
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Republican senators struck down a bill that would have temporarily reopened the federal government on Thursday, falling short of the 60 votes required to defeat a GOP filibuster.
The measure would have reopened federal agencies through 8 February to allow time for negotiations, an approach Republican leadership tried last month before being undercut by Donald Trump.
The president is now refusing to reopen the government until he gets a deal on funding for his long-sought border wall.
Polls have shown that the public is blaming Mr Trump for the shutdown and his approval numbers have sunk as the impasse drags on. The partial government shutdown is now in its 34th day. Federal workers are on the verge of missing another paycheck Friday.
Democrats also blocked Mr Trump’s request for $5.7bn to construct the wall, with a partisan 50-47 vote. The $350bn government-wide funding bill represented the first attempt by Republicans controlling the Senate to reopen the government since the shutdown began.
Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall – in pictures
Show all 15The measure would have also provided three years of continued protection against deportation for 700,000 immigrants brought to the US illegally as children.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday she was willing to meet with the president “anytime” to discuss ending the partial government shutdown.
The California Democrat said House Democrats are putting together a new border security package that could provide a step toward a compromise. It will include money for fencing, technology, personnel and other measures, but not Mr Trump’s proposed wall.
The president responded in real time on Twitter saying, “very simply, without a Wall it all doesn’t work.... We will not Cave!”
Twin defeats might spur the two sides into a more serious effort to reach an agreement. With the impact of the shutdown becoming increasingly painful, lawmakers say they’re willing to compromise on border security and immigration policy.
Additional reporting by AP. Read below for our live coverage on the 34th day of the US government shutdown
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Customs and Border Protection has sent out emails to its employees reminding them of free counseling sessions designed to “manage stress” and other tips on filing for unemployment as the agency’s federal employees remain without pay.
The Democratic proposal to reopen the government has also failed with a vote count of 52-44.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of the president's, said after thee Senate vote on Thursday that he had spoken to the president and that a short-term funding bill to open the government for three weeks had bee discussed.
He continued to say that the idea is being discussed and added: "Money for a barrier is required to get this deal done".
Mr Trump had the following to say about re-opening the government under a temporary deal.
“One of the ideas suggested is they open, they pay some sort of pro-rated down payment on the wall which you need”, Mr Trump said in the White House.
The White House says that it would accept a large down payment on the border wall as a precursor to reopening the government temporarily.
"Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Chuck Schumer are meeting now to see whether or not they can work out of the deadlock. As was made clear to Senator Lindsay [sic] Graham, the 3 week CR would only work if there is a large down payment on the wall," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
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