Negotiations Continue to Avoid Government Shutdown

Since winning the 2016 Presidential election, President Donald Trump’s “wall” has been at the forefront of conversations. As 2018 comes to a close, the conversations heightened concerning funding for the wall. And, in a highly publicized and televised meeting between President Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, Vice President Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi, an argument erupted over the government being shut down, and the President proudly assured that he would let the government shut down if funding was not provided for the wall.

Now, as the deadline looms over negotiations to keep the government up and running, the Senate voted in favor of a House-passed bill that ensures the government continues running through February 8^th. The vote also ensured that $5 billion is put towards funding the wall. However, the vote is reported to have lasted five hours and 18 minutes, which is the longest vote in Senate history. In addition, Vice President Mike Pence had to break a tie.

After the contentious 48-47 vote was cast to keep the government alive, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commented that he hoped “Senate Democrats will work with the White House on an agreement that can pass both houses of Congress and then receive the president’s signature.”

As Democrat leadership is set to take over in the House in January, Schumer assured that “You're not getting the wall today, next week or on January 3rd, when Democrats take control of the House.”

President Donald Trump took to social media to share a picture of how border security would be strengthened by showing a "steel slat barrier," saying that it would be "totally effective while at the same time beautiful!"

As midnight draws closer, lawmakers are still butting heads as Democrats are vehemently fighting against providing funding for the wall. If a deal is not reached by midnight, agencies overseeing homeland security, tax collection, law enforcement and transportation would have to cease operating.

The President also shared a picture of him in the Oval Office, signing bills and explaining that he had to cancel his "trip on Air Force One to Florida while we wait to see if the Democrats will help us protect America's Southern Border!"