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Competing Measures to End Shutdown Fail in US Senate

by Katherine Gypson

   CAPITOL HILL --

   The U.S. Senate failed to end the longest government shutdown in U.S.
   history Thursday, voting down two competing proposals that would have
   ended a 34-day impasse over funding for President Donald Trump's
   U.S.-Mexico border wall.

   The failure of both proposals sent Senate lawmakers back into
   negotiations. Shortly after both bills came up for votes, Republican
   Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina indicated he had discussed a
   short-term spending bill over the phone with Trump.

   But White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters, "The
   three-week CR [continuing resolution] would only work if there is a
   large down payment on the wall."

   The Republican measure incorporating Trump's $5.7 billion request for
   wall construction, in addition to limited immigration reforms and
   government funding through the current fiscal year, failed to advance
   by a 50-47 vote.

   Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the
   Republican bill "a pragmatic compromise that could end this impasse
   right away. The choice is absolutely clear and the nation is watching."

   McConnell emphasized the Republican plan was the only one that would
   have received the president's signature. But Senate Democrats pushed
   back against the White House offer to find a way out of the impasse.

   "If it were a compromise, the president would have talked to us about
   it," said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia. He went on to say
   that policy disagreements over immigration could be worked out, but
   "the difference that's hard to resolve is a party and a president who
   believe in government shutdowns."

   The Democratic proposal went down by a vote of 52-44, despite pulling
   six Republican votes. The measure contained no border security or
   immigration provisions and was designed to reopen shuttered federal
   agencies and provide a two-week window for congressional leaders and
   the White House to negotiate a deal on immigration.

   Both proposals required 60 votes to advance in the 100-member chamber.
   Republicans have a 53-47 Senate majority.

   Blame focused on Trump

   In a Jan. 14 Quinnipiac poll, 63 percent of Americans said they
   supported Democrats' proposal to reopen parts of the government that
   did not involve border security while negotiating funding for the wall.
   According to 56 percent of Americans, Trump and congressional
   Republicans were responsible for the shutdown.

   Trump on Thursday reiterated his stance that a border wall is necessary
   for security.

   "Without a Wall it all doesn't work. Our Country has a chance to
   greatly reduce Crime, Human Trafficking, Gangs and Drugs. Should have
   been done for decades. We will not Cave!" the president tweeted.

   House bills

   Congressional action has not been limited to the Senate. The
   Democrat-led House of Representatives has passed multiple bills
   restoring federal spending authority but omitting wall funding from all
   of them.

   Reports from Capitol Hill say House Democratic leaders are working on a
   new proposal that would add billions of dollars to an array of border
   security measures favored by the White House short of constructing new
   physical barriers on the southern U.S. border.

   'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that "was not
   true." She said lawmakers were working on some provisions within the
   $49 billion Homeland Security bill.

   Calls for compromise

   A growing number of lawmakers of both parties have said compromise is
   the only way to end the political stalemate and reopen the government.

   "It is long overdue for all sides to come together, to engage in
   constructive debate and compromise to end this standoff," Maine
   Republican Sen. Susan Collins said. "Shutdowns represent the ultimate
   failure to govern and should never be used as a weapon to achieve an
   outcome."

   The shutdown has furloughed 800,000 government employees, with at least
   420,000 working without pay and the remainder sent home, some of whom
   have been forced to look for temporary work elsewhere to help pay their
   household bills. All are set to miss their second biweekly paycheck
   Friday.

   Some government services have been curtailed, as about 10 percent of
   airport security agents ordered to work have instead called in sick,
   some food inspections have been cut back, and museums and parks are
   closed. Federal courts could run out of money by the end of the month.

   Katherine Gypson is a reporter for VOA's News Center in Washington,
   D.C.  Prior to joining VOA in 2013, Katherine produced documentary and
   public affairs programming in Afghanistan, Tunisia and Turkey. She also
   produced and co-wrote a 12-episode road-trip series for Pakistani
   television exploring the United States during the 2012 presidential
   election. She holds a Master's degree in Journalism from American
   University. Follow her @kgyp