The Latest: Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History to End After 35 Days

The State of the Shutdown: January 25

• Friday, January 25, marks the 35th and final day of the partial government shutdown.
• The shutdown began December 22nd after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on border security funding. The House passed a continuing resolution (CR) on December 20th that included $5.7 billion for border security ― including wall construction ― and $7.8 billion in disaster relief along party-lines. It lacked the votes to advance in the Senate, as did bills passed in January by the Democrat-controlled House after the new Congress convened.
• Approximately 800,000 federal workers missed paychecks because of the budget impasse.
• Seven departments were affected, including Homeland Security, Justice, Housing, Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, and the Treasury.

Look back at how the shutdown unfolded below.

FRIDAY - 7:00PM EST - Congress unanimously passes bills to end shutdown, Trump to sign.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history will come to an end after 35 days, after Congress unanimously passed bills to reopen affected agencies through February 15th while negotiations over border security funding play out. The bills will are expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump later Friday evening.

The Senate amended two of the House-passed continuing resolutions before passing them by voice vote:

• H.J.Res. 28 was amended to reopen through February 15th the agencies affected by the funding lapse ― Agriculture; Energy & Water; Financial Services & General Government; Homeland Security; Interior & Environment; State & Foreign Operations; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
• H.J.Res. 31 was amended to form a conference committee of bipartisan House and Senate lawmakers who will negotiate a compromise on border security funding before February 15th.

A few hours later, the House followed suit in passing the bills by voice vote.

What’s next?

The conference committee will soon hold meetings to start the process of working out a compromise on border security funding before the deadline of February 15th. Here’s a look at the lawmakers who have been designated as conferees so far:

Senate

• Republican Sens. Richard Shelby (AL), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), John Hoeven (ND), and Roy Blunt (MO).
• Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy (VT), Dick Durbin (IL), and Jon Tester (MT).

House

• Democratic Reps. Nita Lowey (NY), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), David Price (NC), Barbara Lee (CA), Henry Cuellar (TX), and Pete Aguilar (CA).
• Republican Reps. Kay Granger (TX), Chuck Fleischman (TN), Tom Graves (GA), and Steven Palazzo (MS).

THURSDAY - 4:00PM EST - Senate votes to end shutdown fail, impasse continues.

The Senate voted on two proposals Thursday aimed at ending the ongoing partial government shutdown, but while both enjoyed the support of a majority of senators each failed to gain the 60 votes needed to advance.

The first vote was on the End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act, which was proposed by President Donald Trump in an address last weekend and is the first bill considered by the 116th Congress to end the lapse in funding that’s gained his endorsement. The bill failed in a 51-47 vote with all Republicans voting in favor except for Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Mike Lee (R-UT), while all Democrats except for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) voted no.

The second vote was on the Supplemental Appropriations Act, which passed the Democrat-controlled House in a largely party-line vote last week. The bill failed in a 52-44 vote, with all Democrats voted in favor and they were joined by six Republicans, including Senators Lamar Alexander (TN), Susan Collins (ME), Cory Gardner (CO), Johnny Isakson (GA), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Mitt Romney (UT).

What would the bills do?

The End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act would:

• Reopen agencies affected by the partial shutdown and fund them through the end of the fiscal year, September 30th.
• Include $5.7 billion in funding for construction of barriers in the top 10 priority areas of the southwest border identified by Customs & Border Protection, plus additional resources for improving other border security infrastructure and hiring personnel.
• Extend for three years the temporary legal status and work authorizations of recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• Provide $12 billion in disaster relief to areas impacted by natural disasters in 2018.
• Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (which lapsed in December) through September.

The Supplemental Appropriations Act would:

• Reopen agencies affected by the partial shutdown through February 8th, which is 15 days from Thursday.
• Provide $12 billion in disaster relief to areas impacted by natural disasters in 2018.
• The bill would include no new funding for construction of barriers at the southwest border.

What’s next?

Leadership in both chambers of Congress have notified members that they could be called back over the weekend for votes if a deal is struck. If negotiations prove fruitless, Congress will return on Monday, at which point the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history would be in its 38th day.

WEDNESDAY - 3:00pm ET - Senate plans Thursday votes that could end ongoing shutdown.

The Senate will consider two proposals to reopen agencies affected by the partial government shutdown on Thursday, at which point the longest lapse in funding in U.S. history will be in its 34th day.

At 2:30pm Eastern, the Senate will vote on the End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act as an amendment to a House-passed bill. It’s the first bill the 116th Congress has considered during the shutdown that has the support of President Donald Trump, who outlined the plan in an address last Saturday. The bill would:

• Reopen agencies affected by the partial shutdown and fund them through the end of the fiscal year, September 30th.
• Include $5.7 billion in funding for construction of barriers in the top 10 priority areas of the southwest border identified by Customs & Border Protection, plus additional resources for improving other border security infrastructure and hiring personnel.
• Extend for three years the temporary legal status and work authorizations of recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• Provide $12 billion in disaster relief to areas impacted by natural disasters in 2018.
• Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (which lapsed in December) through September.

The Senate will also vote on an amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), which is the text of the bill they’re originally debating ― the House-passed continuing resolution to open the government through February 8th and provide disaster relief. The bill would:

• Reopen agencies affected by the partial shutdown through February 8th, which is 15 days from Thursday.
• Provide $12 billion in disaster relief to areas impacted by natural disasters in 2018.
• The bill would include no new funding for construction of barriers at the southwest border.

What are the prospects for passage?

It remains to be seen whether either proposal will have the necessary bipartisan support to overcome the 60 vote threshold needed to “invoke cloture” and limit further debate on the bill, which can then pass with a simple majority once debate expires.

The cloture vote on the End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act would need the support of 7 Senate Democrats and all Republicans to succeed. While the House Democrats’ bill to reopen the government through February 8th would need 13 Republicans to cross the aisle, President Trump has threatened to veto legislation reopening the government that doesn’t fund construction of border barriers.

MONDAY, 12:00pm ET - Wall-for-DACA?

That's what Democrats have to consider after President Trump offered protections from deportations for millions of immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children (so-called “Dreamers”) in exchange for the $5.7 billion he’s seeking for his border wall with Mexico.

Trump on Saturday called his proposal, which would offer "three years of legislative relief" for Dreamers and individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a "compassionate response to the crisis at our border."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has promised to bring the bill to a vote this week.

Democrats have reiterated their demand to reopen the government before they'll negotiate on border security.

Should Democrats take Trump's deal?

WEDNESDAY, 12:00pm ET - Pelosi to Trump: Reschedule State of the Union address or just submit it in writing to Congress because of shutdown

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has asked President Donald Trump to reschedule his State of the Union Address or deliver it in writing to Congress if the government remains shut down.

"Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th," Pelosi wrote in a letter to Trump Wednesday.

Read the full story here.

MONDAY, 11:45am ET - Trump rejects proposal to temporarily reopen the government.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close ally of President Donald Trump, is urging the president to temporarily reopen parts of the government that have now been shut down for 24 days.

“I would urge him to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug. See if we can get a deal. If we can’t at the end of three weeks, all bets are off. See if he can do it by himself through the emergency powers,” Graham said on Fox News Sunday.

• However, Trump on Monday said he rejected the proposal for a provisional re-open.

“I did reject it,” Trump told reporters as he boarded Marine One on route to delivering a speech to a farm convention in New Orleans. “I want to get it solved. I don’t want to just delay it.”

Click here for the full story.

SATURDAY 11am ET - Partial government shutdown officially becomes the longest in U.S. history.

• The ongoing partial government shutdown entered its 22nd day Saturday, making it the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
• The previous record for longest government shutdown was set back in the 104th Congress with a 21 day shutdown that lasted from December 16, 1995 to January 6, 1996.
• That shutdown arose due to a disagreement between President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress led by Speaker Newt Gingrich over the federal budget.
• The 1995-96 impasse ended with the Clinton administration and the GOP Congress reaching a deal to balance the budget over seven years through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.

5:45pm ET - Trump Holding Off on Declaring National Emergency 'Right Now' for Border Wall

President Trump said Friday afternoon that while he remains open to declaring a national emergency to get his wall funded, he’d “rather not” as it's the “easy way out.”

"Congress should do this. This is too simple. It's too basic. And Congress should do this. If they can't do it, I will declare a national emergency. I have the absolute right to do it."

"We have a country that is being invaded by criminals and by drugs and we're going to stop it," Trump said, without offering any evidence for his claims.

FRIDAY - 11:00am ET - The partial shutdown is tied for the longest ever as the border wall fight rages on.

The ignoble honor comes the same day hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss their first paycheck.

Trump is demanding $5.7 billion in federal funding to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have rejected providing any money for a barrier.

The president is considering declaring a national emergency in order to secure wall funding.

9:00pm ET - The White House has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to "look at possible ways of funding border security."

So said Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to Fox News on Thursday night. Such a move would still require President Trump to declare a national emergency, something he said he'd "definitely" be willing to do.

The president has a found a number of supporters for this move, include Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). In a letter to the president, Graham called on Trump to "use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier."

Graham wrote that because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) refuses to grant Trump funds for a border wall, this "virtually ends the congressional path to funding" it.

"I hope it works," Graham said of using emergency powers.

5:30pm ET - Senate approves retroactive pay for federal workers whenever the shutdown ends.

Before the Senate adjourned for the week, it passed a bill by voice vote that would provide retroactive pay for workers affected by partial government shutdown whenever the funding lapse ends.

THURSDAY - 11:15am ET - Trump said he's likely to declare a national emergency if he can't reach an agreement with Democrats to fund his wall.

Speaking with reporters at the White House before departing to visit the border town of McAllen, Texas, Trump repeated his earlier assertion that he was considering the possibility of declaring a state of emergency to fund the wall.

Trump said: ”If this doesn’t work out, probably I will do it. I would almost say definitely.”

2:00pm ET - Due to the shutdown, the FDA has had to furlough hundreds of inspectors.

The Food and Drug Administration, which oversees 80 percent of the food supply, has suspended all routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told the Washington Post he's working on a plan to reinstate inspectors at "high-risk facilities, which handle foods such as soft cheese or seafood," as early as next week.

“We are doing what we can to mitigate any risk to consumers through the shutdown,” Gottlieb said.

WEDNESDAY - 11:00am ET - Trump to visit Capitol Hill

The president is coming to the Capitol today to meet with Senate Republicans at 12:45pm.

Trump is trying to bolster (and maintain) Republican support for his effort to keep the government shut down until getting funds for a border wall.

Senate leadership will then deliver a news conference at 2pm.

At 3pm, Congressional leaders will head to the White House to meet with Trump.

9:40pm ET - Dems: "Separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security."

During a brief official Democratic response to Trump's Oval Office address, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) argued there is no reason to tie the shutdown to border security.

“There is bipartisan legislation — supported by Democrats and Republicans — to re-open government while allowing debate over border security to continue. There is no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over a policy difference," Schumer said.

Other highlights of the Democratic response:

• Schumer said “We can secure our border without an expensive, ineffective wall. And we can welcome legal immigrants and refugees without compromising safety and security. The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall."
• Pelosi was a bit more blunt: “The President is rejecting these bipartisan bills which would re-open government — over his obsession with forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall — a wall he always promised Mexico would pay for!”
• During his address, Trump had accused Democrats in Congress of refusing “to acknowledge the crisis” at the border. Schumer countered that “Most presidents have used Oval Office addresses for noble purposes. This president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.”

9:20pm ET - Trump said the shutdown could be resolved in under an hour if Democrats agree to border funding.

In his first Oval Office address to the nation, President Donald Trump placed the onus of the partial government shutdown on congressional Democrats.

"The government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: the Democrats will not fund border security," Trump said.

Trump said he would resume talks with Democrats on Wednesday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will deliver their response shortly.

Other highlights of Trump's speech:

• The president warned of "a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border." We fact-check this statement in our piece from earlier today.
• Trump said the U.S. can no longer hold the unauthorized immigrants that enter the country. "We are out of space to hold them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country."
• The president claimed that "all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration." Specifically, he said unauthorized immigration "strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages."
• Trump claimed "the wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico." This would require that the United States Mexico Trade Agreement raise money through tax revenue or tariffs and earmark those funds for a wall.

3:30pm ET - NBC, CBS, and CNN announced they'll air a Democratic response to President Trump's national address tonight.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will deliver a left-leaning response to Trump's speech on the border and ongoing government shutdown.

Some have speculated the president will declare a national emergency in order to get funding for his border wall. But Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday morning that he expects Trump to make a case for congressional funding, with the president explaining "to the American people that we have a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border."

TUESDAY - 11:15am ET - Trump taking case for border wall to nation tonight.

The president will make his first national address tonight, trying to persuade Americans that a "humanitarian and security crisis" on the southern border has to be addressed before the shutdown can end.

All the major networks have agreed to air the Oval Office address, which will run at 9pm ET.

MONDAY - 12:30pm ET - President Trump will visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday to call attention to what the White House is calling a national security "crisis."

1:20pm ET - Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that he doesn't expect the partial government shutdown to end in the near future.

Mulvaney, who also directs the Office of Management and Budget, told NBC's "Meet The Press" that the negotiations between Democratic and Republican staffers on Saturday were unproductive.

“It was a really strange meeting,” Mulvaney said. “The discussion immediately turned to a bunch of technical ... requests that the Democrats were asking for the first time ever in these negotiations. So I think this is going to drag on a lot longer.”

Mulvaney later said that despite Trump's campaign promise to build a concrete wall, the president was open to constructing a fence or "artistically designed steel slats."

“Call it a wall, call it a fence. [Trump] says as long as it’s effective, he doesn’t care what you call it.”

2:40pm ET - Trump concluded his news conference asking landlords and bill collectors to be lenient on government employees affected by the shutdown.

"I think they will. I've been a landlord for a long time… they work with people," Trump said.

"I would encourage them to be nice and easy."

Congressional leadership and White House staff will meet this weekend to discuss the ongoing shutdown.

2:40pm ET - Trump: "I'm very proud of doing what I'm doing" with the shutdown

When the president was asked if was proud about owning the shutdown - as he'd said in early December - Trump told reporters:

"Well, you know, I appreciate the way you say that but once -- I'm very proud of doing what I'm doing. I don't call it a shutdown. I call it doing what you have to do for benefit and for the safety of our country. ...So can you call it whatever you want. You can call it the Schumer or the Pelosi or the trump shutdown, it doesn't make any difference to me. Just words."

2:20pm ET - President Trump pitched his border wall during a press conference in the Rose Garden.

Following a meeting with Democratic leaders in the White House, Trump took to the Rose Garden to address reporters.

The president cited coyotes and human trafficking as examples of the dangers found at the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The only way you're going to stop that is by having a solid steel structure or concrete structure, whether it’s a wall or some form of very powerful steel," Trump said.

He continued:

"We mentioned the price that we want, $5.6 billion very strongly, these numbers are thrown around... This is national security we're talking about. We’re not talking about games. We’re talking about national security." 

Congressional leadership and White House staff will meet this weekend to discuss the ongoing shutdown.

1:40pm ET - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters Trump threatened to keep the government closed "for a very long time."

Following a meeting at the White House, Schumer told reporters that he pleaded with President Trump not to "hold millions of Americans hundreds of thousands of workers hostage."

According to Schumer, the president resisted.

"In fact he said he would keep it closed for a very long period of time, months or even years," Schumer said.

Newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters that "we really cannot resolve this until we open up government. We made that very clear to the president."

Trump is set to give remarks shortly.

FRIDAY - 11:30am ET - Bipartisan congressional leaders are heading to the White House for their latest round of negotiations on President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. 

Trump on Wednesday said the shutdown would last "as long as it takes" to see his demands met.

9:55pm ET - House Democrats pass bills to end the shutdown, but they won't be considered in the Senate or signed by the president.

The new House Democratic majority flexed its legislative muscles during the first day of the 116th Congress by passing two bills to end the shutdown:

• A bill funding Homeland Security through February 8th with no new funding for border security passed 239-192, with all Democrats and five Republicans voting in favor.
• A bill providing $271 billion to reopen the agencies impacted by the shutdown through September passed 241-190, with only seven Republicans joining all Democrats in voting in favor.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said “the Senate will not waste its time considering a Democratic bill which cannot pass this chamber and which the president will not sign.”

THURSDAY - 2:00pm ET - Nancy Pelosi has reclaimed the title of House speaker, plans to introduce bills to end the shutdown.

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was elected speaker of the House, garnering 220 votes from her colleagues. Twelve Democrats did not vote for her.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) welcomed the 116th Congress, and asked if the new Democratic House will choose "policymaking or presidential harassment."

"We know that the Senate with a Republican majority is fertile soil for big, bipartisan accomplishments. The question is, will the newly Democratic House join in this good momentum or bring it to a standstill?" McConnell said.

Pelosi plans on introducing two bills aimed at ending the shutdown: one funding Homeland Security through February 8th, and the other reopening the agencies impacted by the shutdown through September. But McConnell said “the Senate will not waste its time considering a Democratic bill which cannot pass this chamber and which the president will not sign.”

5:00pm ET - Democrats say no progress was made in their meeting with Trump.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and presumed House Majority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) emerged from a meeting with the president indicating there was no breakthrough in steps to reopen the government.

"Our question to the President and to the Republicans is why don’t you accept what you have already done to open up government?" said Pelosi.

Schumer told reporters that he asked Trump why the government couldn't be reopened while the two sides resolved their differences on border security funding.

"We asked him to give us one good reason. I asked him directly," Schumer said. "He could not give a good answer."

Schumer added:

"They want to try and leverage that shutdown into their proposals on border security. We want strong border security. We believe ours are better. To use the shutdown as hostage - which they had no argument against - is wrong."

4:00pm ET - No votes today, partial shutdown to continue into the new Congress.

Leaders in the House and Senate have informed members that no votes are expected today, meaning that the partial government shutdown will continue into the 116th Congress, which convenes Thursday.

WEDNESDAY - 12:15pm ET - Top House and Senate leaders are meeting with Trump at the White House

A day before Democrats take control of the House, Trump invited bipartisan leaders to a briefing at the White House to discuss security concerns at the border.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump tweeted:

We'll update once the meetings have adjourned.

MONDAY - Shutdown to reach 12-day mark as Congress concludes brief New Year's Eve session.

The House and Senate convened briefly in pro forma sessions this morning and will next meet on Wednesday, January 2nd, thus ensuring the partial government shutdown will enter its twelfth day.

House Democrats have announced that they intend to start the 116th Congress on Thursday with a vote on a funding package that funds Homeland Security through February 8th with no new border wall funding, and the rest of the currently unfunded agencies through September when fiscal year 2019 ends. However, the GOP Senate is unlikely to consider a bill that President Trump won't sign into law,

It's unclear whether congressional Republicans will make a final attempt to re-open the government on Wednesday, which will be the final day of the 115th Congress.

FRIDAY - 12:45pm ET - Smithsonian and National Zoo to close after New Year's Day.

All Smithsonian museums, as well as the National Zoo, will be shuttered on January 2nd unless Congress reaches a budget deal.

"The most important thing was to be able to get through this [holiday] week because we didn't want to disappoint people," Linda St. Thomas, chief spokeswoman for the Smithsonian, told NPR. And though traffic slows after New Year's, "you still have people who come for a once in a lifetime visit or to see something very special and it's a shame to turn them away."

The last time the Smithsonian closed its doors was during the 2013 shutdown, which lasted 16 days.

3:45pm ET - No House votes this week, shutdown to stretch into next week.

House leadership notified lawmakers that no votes are expected this week, so the partial government shutdown will continue until at least Monday, December 31st. Members have been told they'll get 24 hours notice as they "await Senate action" on legislation to re-open impacted agencies.

Given that it's looking increasingly likely that the partial shutdown will continue into the New Year, here's a reminder of some upcoming dates to watch:

• Thursday, January 3rd: The first day of the 116th Congress could feature votes to fund the agencies impacted by the partial shutdown in either the GOP-controlled Senate, the Democrat-controlled House, or both if the 115th Congress is unable to strike a deal with the White House.
• Friday, January 11th: This is the day that bi-weekly paychecks for the December 23 - January 5 period start getting direct deposited for federal workers. For furloughed workers at agencies impacted by the lapse in funding, they won't get a paycheck unless Congress passes legislation to restore their pay for the furlough period after the funding lapse ends. Congress routinely passes legislation to give furloughed workers retroactive pay after funding lapses, and the Senate already unanimously passed a bill to that effect for this shutdown.

THURSDAY - 12:30PM ET - Trump is now claiming most of the furloughed workers "are Democrats."

On Christmas, the president claimed, without evidence, that the 400,000 employees working without pay support the shutdown as long as he secures additional funding for a border wall.

“Many of those workers have said to me and communicated, ‘stay out until you get the funding for the wall.’ These federal workers want the wall.”

On Thursday morning, however, Trump fired off a tweet saying - with no support for his claim - that "most of the people not getting paid are Democrats."

WEDNESDAY 4:30PM ET - Partial shutdown will end no sooner than Friday, House won't vote Thursday.

After negotiations over border security funding were put on hold for Christmas, House leadership announced today that no votes will be held when the House convenes tomorrow. That means the third (and longest) partial government shutdown of 2018 will continue into Friday, December 27th as the House waits for Senate Democrats and the Trump administration to reach an agreement.

SUNDAY 1:00pm ET - Three dates to be aware of as the partial shutdown continues.

• Thursday, December 27th: Both chambers are expected to return to D.C. on this date, so it's the earliest the shutdown can conclude. If a deal is struck before Congress returns things could move quickly on Thursday. But if negotiations aren't moving forward, it may be a quiet day in the Capitol.
• Thursday, January 3rd: The first day of the 116th Congress could feature votes to fund the agencies impacted by the partial shutdown in either the GOP-controlled Senate, the Democrat-controlled House, or both if the 115th Congress is unable to strike a deal with the White House.
• Friday, January 11th: This is the day that bi-weekly paychecks for the December 23 - January 5 period start getting direct deposited for federal workers. For furloughed workers at agencies impacted by the lapse in funding, they won't get a paycheck unless Congress passes legislation to restore their pay for the furlough period after the funding lapse ends. Congress routinely passes legislation to give furloughed workers retroactive pay after funding lapses, and the Senate already unanimously passed a bill to that effect for this shutdown.

5:35pm ET - It's beginning to look a lot like the longest shutdown of Trump's presidency.

With Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announcing there’s no deal, and the upper chamber adjourned until Thursday, December 27, the shutdown is poised to last at least six days — the longest of the three shutdowns of Trump’s presidency.

There’s also a possibility the government could be closed for business until January 3, when the Democrats retake control of the House.

There will be a pro forma Senate session on Monday, but it’s unlikely to yield any results, and senators are leaving D.C. for the holiday.

"When these negotiations produce a solution that is acceptable to all parties, which means 60 votes in the senate, a majority in the House, and a presidential signature, at that point we will take it up on the Senate floor," McConnell said. "Senators will be notified when a vote is scheduled, and in the meantime, the discussions and negotiations continue."

The first shutdown lasted 69 hours after Senate Democrats blocked a stopgap funding bill that also extended CHIP in January 2018. At issue was the lack of a comprehensive deal on a long-term budget and immigration reform.

The second shutdown lasted a little more than five hours on the morning of March 21, 2018 after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) used procedural maneuvering to delay a stopgap funding bill that raised budget caps and provided disaster relief because of his concerns about the deficit.

4:30pm ET - Still no apparent movement on negotiations.

President Donald Trump met with congressional conservatives earlier in the day. The meeting included Vice President Mike Pence, who then went to the Capitol to give Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and update on what came out of the meeting.

12:45pm ET - Schumer digs in on keeping wall money out of the deal.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on President Trump to "abandon the wall" from the Senate floor, as it's the only obstacle to an agreement:

"We're open to discussing any proposals with the president so long as they don't include funding for the wall."

12:10pm ET - McConnell reiterates there will be no votes until there’s a deal.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on the floor that there will be no votes until a deal is struck between President Donald Trump (“from whom we will need a signature”) and Senate Democrats (“from whom we will need votes”) over border security funding.

“In order to get us out of this mess, a negotiated solution will need to check these boxes… It’s really simple. It will need the support of 60 senators, which will obviously include a number of Democrats. It will need to pass the House. And it will need a presidential signature.”

12:05pm ET - Here’s what is impacted during this shutdown.

Federal agencies get their funding from 12 appropriations bills, and only five of those have been enacted for the current fiscal year. That means funding for agencies covered by seven of those appropriations bills has now lapsed.

Those appropriations titles (which represent roughly one-fourth of the $1.3 trillion federal discretionary budget) are:

• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies;
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies;
• Financial Service and General Government;
• Homeland Security;
• Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies;
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

The agencies that will not be impacted by this partial shutdown were funded by one of two "minibus" appropriations bills that were enacted earlier this year (H.R. 6157 & H.R. 5895), including those funded under the following appropriations titles:

• Defense;
• Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services;
• Military Construction & Veterans Affairs;
• Energy & Water; and
• Legislative Branch.

Read more about what happens during a government shutdown here.

SATURDAY 12:00pm ET - Congress back in session, but no movement toward a deal yet.

Both the House and Senate gaveled in to begin their respective legislative days. The House immediately recessed while the Senate is in a quorum call.

The Senate isn’t expected to hold any votes until a deal is reached, so it could be a quiet day on that side of the Capitol.

While it hasn’t announced any votes yet, the House may take up the CURD Act ― a bill that’d create a legal definition of “natural cheese” ― after the Rules Committee passed a rule structuring debate around the bill whenever it's brought up.

The CURD Act passed the Senate by voice vote on December 12th. But on it failed when it got a vote in the House under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process, which requires a two-thirds majority of voting members, on a 230-162 margin.

— Eric Revell & Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / CatLane)