Government Shutdown Starts After Senate Fails to Make a Deal

The federal government shut down at midnight ET Saturday after the U.S. Senate failed to reach a [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

The federal government shut down at midnight ET Saturday after the U.S. Senate failed to reach a last-minute deal on the anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration.

The House passed a short-term, 30-day spending bill on Thursday night, but Republican senators could not get the 60 votes needed to proceed on the measure Friday.

According to CBS News, five Democrats voted with Republicans. However, four Republicans voted against it.

Trump, who cancelled his weekend trip to Mar-a-Lago to take part in talks to keep the government running, met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York during the day. A deal was close, but Trump began taking a hard right during the talks.

"It's one step forward with the White House, four steps back," a senior Democratic Senate aid told CBS News. The trouble is Democrats are not sure if Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is leading talks or if it is Trump. Plus, it is also not clear what Trump wanted, according to the aide.

Trump blamed Democrats, suggesting they want to see the government shut down.

"Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy," the president tweeted.

"Nobody wants to shut down the govt, not Dems, not the GOP," Schumer tweeted on Thursday. "The only one who has ever rooted for a shutdown is [Trump], who said our country could use 'a good shutdown' – only he could come up with that. But no shutdown can be good for the American people."

Democrats have refused to keep the government open as long as there is no long-term legislation passed to help so-called "Dreamers," immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. They were previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which President Barack Obama expanded through an executive action. In September 2017, Trump ended the program.

Also at stake is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a program that provides low-cost health insurance for children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. Funding expired at the end of September and many states are almost done with what funding they had left.

"CHIP should be part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension," Trump tweeted on Thursday.

According to CNN, about 1.3 million active-duty military members could be asked to work without pay. They will be paid through Feb. 1. Over 400 national parks could also be closed, along with 19 Smithsonian museums.

Photo credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

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