Yielding to mounting pressure and growing disruption, US President Donald Trump and congressional leaders last night reached a short-term deal to reopen the government for three weeks w
Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram and Catherine Lucey
January 26 2019 2:30 AM
Yielding to mounting pressure and growing disruption, US President Donald Trump and congressional leaders last night reached a short-term deal to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations continue over the president’s demands for money to build his long-promised wall at the US-Mexico border.
Mr Trump announced the agreement to break the 35-day impasse as intensifying delays at the nation’s airports and widespread disruptions brought new urgency to efforts to resolve the standoff.
« I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government, » he said from the Rose Garden.
The Senate was set to approve the deal, with the House following later yesterday. The legislation would include back-pay for some 800,000 federal workers who have gone without paycheques.
After saying for weeks that he would not reopen the government without border wall money, Mr Trump said he would soon sign a bill to re-open the government through February 15 without additional money for his signature campaign promise. He said that a bipartisan committee of lawmakers would be formed to consider border spending before the new deadline.
« They are willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first, » Mr Trump said. He asserted that « barrier or walls will be an important part of the solution ».
But he hinted that he was still considering taking unilateral action if efforts to come up with money for his wall fail. « I have a very powerful alternative, but I didn’t want to use it at this time, » he said.
Early yesterday at least five Republican senators had been calling Mr Trump, urging him to reopen the government and have the Senate consider his request for border wall money through regular legislation.
The breakthrough came as LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both experienced at least 90-minute delays in takeoffs yesterday due to the shutdown.
