(21 Dec 2018) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus109331
The U.S. federal government was careening toward a partial shutdown Friday after President Donald Trump's quest for a border wall left Congress without a clear plan to keep the government running past a midnight deadline.
"The president wants border security and he's not going to back down on this fight, " White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Friday morning.
The Senate was being called back to session to consider a package approved by House Republicans late Thursday that includes the $5.7 billion Trump wants for the border with Mexico.
It is almost certain to be rejected by the Senate. Senators already passed their own bipartisan package earlier in the week to keep the government running with border security at existing levels, $1.3 billion, but no money for the wall. Both bills would extend funding through Feb. 8.
The White House said Trump will not travel to Florida on Friday as planned for the Christmas holiday if the government is shutting down.
More than 800,000 federal workers will be facing furloughs or forced to work without pay if a resolution is not reached before funding expires at midnight Friday.
At issue is funding for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks and forests.
Many agencies, including the Pentagon and the departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services, are funded for the year and would continue to operate as usual. The U.S. Postal Service, busy delivering packages for the holiday season, would not be affected by any government shutdown because it's an independent agency.
The shutdown crisis could be one of the final acts of the House GOP majority before relinquishing control to Democrats in January.
Sanders said Trump would "love" for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to lower the Senate's threshold for ending debate on legislation from 60 votes to 51, as it currently stands for judicial appointments.
And Trump, in a tweet aimed at McConnell, says: "Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done! Our Country is counting on you!"
McConnell has previously resisted the rules change.
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