The government shutdown reached its 34th day on Thursday.
News13 Washington correspondent Mark Meredith looked at the day’s efforts to end the shutdown.
The senate voted down two bills that could have ended the government shutdown.
Lawmakers were split over the two proposals.
The first, backed by the president, most GOP senators, and Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia, would have spent $5 billon on the border wall.
“A vote for the president’s plan is an endorsement of government by extortion,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D- Minority Leader).
Schumer supported the second bill, which would have re-opened the government for two weeks and provided time to debate border security.
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott, the chamber’s newest member, says he’s frustrated by the shutdown stalemate.
“This government, we need to get it open, we need to secure the border, it’s as simple as that,” Sen. Scott said.
The president had no public events Thursday, only hours after he tweeted he would not deliver a State of the Union address until the shutdown was over.
“Thank goodness we’ve put that matter to rest and that we can get on to the subject at hand. Open up government, so that we can negotiate how best to protect our borders,” said. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D- Speaker of the House).
About 800,000 government employees will miss their second paycheck on Friday.
