On Friday, Jan. 25 President Donald Trump announced that he has agreed to temporarily reopen the government for three weeks ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
The compromise with congressional leaders will last until Feb. 15 and talks will continue over border security and a wall on the southern border. This stop-gap agreement includes no new money for his wall.
“I am very proud to announce today that we reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” Trump said at his speech at the Whitehouse Friday.
Throughout his speech President Trump mentioned security and encouraged the public that walls “do work,” stating that he’s talked to numerous boarder and national security officials to make sure of it.
“No matter where you go [walls] work.” Trump said. “Israel built a wall. 99.9 percent successful. It won’t be any different for us.”
According to NBC, the government shutdown left an estimated 800,000 federal employees without pay and created a host of problems.
I’m a US Army veteran and federal employee, paycheck to paycheck sucks. Car payment due soon and house payment will be due 2/1. Already went through my savings and have $11.37 to my name. When will this end? My children rely on me to put food on the table. #ShutdownStories
— Raymond (@rayalcala01) January 16, 2019
Trump thanked federal workers and their families for their devotion stating that they are “fantastic people.”
I am a Career Public Servant with 32 years of service. This is my fifth shutdown furlough and it will be my last. My Public Servant heart and spirit are broken. I will retire by the end of this year. This pawn is leaving the political chess game. #ShutdownStories
— Smittynmd (@smittynmd) January 21, 2019
“Now that there is an agreement between the Democrats and the White House, we can make that happen,” Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell said.
The Senate passed the measure Friday afternoon and the House later approved it before sending it to Trump.
According to the White House, workers will be paid within days.
The president stated that he expected congressional negotiations to grant him a boarder security charter but threatened to use his national emergency powers if it’s not granted.
“As everyone knows, I have a very powerful alternative,” Trump said. “I didn’t want to use it at this time. Hopefully it will be unnecessary.”
According to Trump, there isn’t any other choice but to build a “steel barrier.”
“If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down again on Feb. 15, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency.”
The president said that this is an opportunity for all parties to work together.
McConnell called on Democrats to negotiate on a full-year government funding bill. The bill would include a significant investment in “urgently needed border security measures.” This includes the boarder wall.
For more personalized government #ShutdownStories from Twitter, click here.
Featured Image: President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, Jan 25, 2019, in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy Associated Press, Evan Vucci
