Partial US government shutdown set to last through Christmas
WASHINGTON: The partial US government shutdown is set to stretch on through Christmas as Congress adjourned Saturday with no deal in sight to end the impasse over funding for Mr Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border.
Due to the shutdown - which saw several key US agencies cease operations at 12:01am (1.01pm Singapore time) on Saturday - Mr Trump said that he would remain in Washington over Christmas instead of going to Florida.
"I am in the White House, working hard,"Mr Trump tweeted on Saturday morning. "We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay."
He has dug in on his demand for US$5 billion (S$6.8 billion) for construction of the wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal meant federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed at midnight on Friday.
The House of Representatives and the Senate held sessions on Saturday, but both chambers adjourned without a deal being reached, and no votes were expected till Dec 27.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said: "President Trump, if you want to open the government abandon the wall, plain and simple.
"The Trump shutdown isn't over border security; it's because President Trump is demanding billions of dollars for an expensive, ineffective wall that the majority of Americans don't support." - AFP
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