Vice President Mike Pence conveyed White House, congressional staffers to findway to endimpasse on federal funding over a border wall that has caused shutdown.
Jan. 5 (UPI) — Vice President Mike Pence conveyed a meeting of White House and congressional staffers Saturday to find a way to end the impasse on federal funding over a border wall that has forced a partial government shutdown.
As the closure of 25 percent of agencies entered its 15th day, mainly staff-level officials met more than two hours in the vice president’s ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Earlier, Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen conducted a briefing in the White House Situation Room.
Other White House officials in attendance included senior adviser Jared Kushner, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and legislative affairs director Shahira Knight. Also present were aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.; and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y.
Not present were President Donald Trump, who wants more than $5 billion to fund a border wall with Mexico, and Democratic congressional leaders, who don’t want money for added barriers.
