President Trump is expected to announce Friday he’ll back a move to reopen the government for a few weeks, so government workers can get paid while the debate over border security continues. He’s slated to make a statement on this development at the White House Friday afternoon.
CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett reports that Mr. Trump is expected to back a continuing resolution (CR) — which would fund the government at current levels. However, just how long the funding would last is still being debated in the White House.
CBS News’ Rebecca Kaplan reports that leaders are zeroing in on an agreement that includes a short-term CR to Feb. 15, and a vehicle to go to conference on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill. No money for a border wall would be included in this deal. The seven-bill CR will also include a furloughed employees backpay provision.
However, Sen. Richard Shelby, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee told CBS News’ chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes that the notion of some kind of “down payment” for a wall or some other border security measure is still being discussed at the White House. This would obviously be a major sticking point for Democrats.
The government shutdown has reached its 35th day, the longest in American history. Around 800,000 federal workers missed their second paycheck this week, with roughly half of them working without pay. Several workers in critical agencies have been calling out sick due to financial difficulties.
Flights in and out New York City’s LaGuardia airport were delayed on Friday morning due to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, according to a notice issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. Elsewhere, a flight was canceled due to a lack of sufficient TSA staff at the Monroe Louisiana airport Friday morning.
Click here to read more.
Source: CBSN
BCNN1 WP 