Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said Wednesday there is no breakthrough on border wall funding that might reopen the government following a White House meeting with President Donald Trump.
Trump and Democrats are at odds over funding for a border wall. The House is expected to hold a series of votes to open the government just hours after Democrats take control on Thursday, a Democratic aide confirmed to CNN, but Trump is unlikely to sign anything they approve at this stage.
“Our question to the President and to the Republicans is, ‘Why don’t you accept what you have already done to open up government?’ ” asked California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the presumed new House speaker, referring to a bipartisan, Senate-passed funding measure, albeit one Trump has never publicly endorsed.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Trump why the government couldn’t be reopened while the two sides work to resolve their differences.
“I asked him directly … He could not give a good answer,” Schumer said.
Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell confirmed there was no progress made toward ending the shutdown.
“I don’t think any particular progress was made today, but we talked about all aspects of it and it was a civil discussion and we are hopeful that somehow in the coming days or weeks we will be able to reach an agreement,” he told reporters upon his return to Capitol Hill.
Trump invited lawmakers to return to the White House on Friday, after their leadership races, to continue discussing a path to reopening the government, according to incoming House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. (CNN)
