President Donald Trump is set to make an announcement Friday that he reached a deal with congressional leaders to fund the government for three weeks, which will end the longest United States government shutdown ever, CNBC reports.
CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett reports that Trump is expected to back a continuing resolution (CR), which would fund the government at current levels and reopen it for a few weeks.
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You can watch a live stream of the president’s announcement in the video from CBS News below.
The longest U.S. funding lapse is in its 35th day. On Friday, about 800,000 workers missed their second paychecks since the shutdown began on Dec. 22.
After two bills failed to reopen the government failed in the Senate on Thursday, serious talks to find an end to the situation restarted. A shortage of air traffic controllers — who have had to work without pay during the shutdown — delayed flights at several major airports on the East Coast Friday morning.
In the reported deal, no money for a border wall would be included. The seven-bill CR will include a furloughed employees backpay provision, meaning furloughed federal employees who have been working without pay for the past weeks will be paid. The short-term agreement could, of course, leave open the possibility that lawmakers fail to come to terms after the three weeks are up in mid-February.
Trump has lobbied on securing $5.7 billion to build his proposed wall on the Mexican border before he agrees to reopen the government. Congress is at a standstill on the issue.
On Thursday, Trump asked for a “down payment” for the barrier in exchange for funding the government.
Surveys indicate that most Americans see the closure as a “crisis” or at least a “problem.”
The Federal Airline Administration staff shortage and flight delays Friday came a day after elected officials and union leaders warned about dangers posed to the nation’s air traffic system because of the prolonged government shutdown.
“This is exactly what [Association of Flight Attendants] and other aviation unions have been warning would happen. The aviation system depends on the safety professionals who make it run,” said Sara Nelson, the group’s president. “They have been doing unbelievably heroic work even as they are betrayed by the government that employs them. They are fatigued, worried and distracted, but they won’t risk our safety. So the planes will stay on the ground. This is anything but a sickout — it is only about our safety and the air traffic controllers’ absolute commitment to it.”
