Senators push to temporarily reopen government

WASHINGTON—With the partial government shutdown reaching its 35th day Friday and about 800,000 federal workers missing another round of paychecks, the Senate is once again scrambling to negotiate a funding compromise. After two competing bills aimed at alleviating the shutdown failed to muster enough support on the Senate floor Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., met with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to discuss how to break the stalemate. Senators on both sides of the aisle raised the possibility of reopening government agencies for three weeks to pay federal workers while lawmakers find a permanent solution.

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House he might support such a move but only if it included a “prorated down payment” for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. He also said that if lawmakers refused, he had “other alternatives” to get funding for the wall.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters she would not support any move that required a “big” down payment. Schumer spokesman Justin Goodman said Democrats “will not support funding for the wall, prorated or otherwise.”

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said Thursday that House Democrats were preparing a new border security package that might roll out Friday. It is expected to include $5.7 billion—the same amount Trump has requested for the wall—for border security such as fencing, technology, personnel, or other measures.