Since Dec. 22, more than a handful of federal workers have yet to clock in. Under Donald Trump’s order, agencies that fall within the federal government’s banner were closed until a resolve concerning immigration and a border wall between Mexico and the United States was agreed upon by Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.
While on the latter’s end a proposal of $5.7 billion to fund the wall was met with contention by the Democrats, both parties plan to meet on Thursday (Jan. 24) to propose two bills that might speed up the end of the shutdown. According to TIME, the Republican’s proposal still includes the multi-billion dollar request for the wall, but they would agree to give Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients a “three-year reprieve” from being deported. The Democrats want to re-open the government until Feb. 8 as a means of gathering more time to reach a resolution.
TIME also notes that the Democrats might not agree to the GOP’s plan because, on the subject of DACA and TPS recipients, a formidable plan of action to protect them has yet to be implemented. “The President’s proposal is one-sided, harshly partisan, and was made in bad faith. It’s like bargaining for stolen goods,” Senator Chuck Schumer said.
Per ABC News, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stressed the dire position the country is in under Trump’s position. “We can’t have a president, every time he has an objection, to say I’ll shut down government until you come to my way of thinking,” Pelosi said. “Understand, that is part of the point of this. If we hold the employees hostage now, they’re hostage forever.”
The proposals both need 60 votes, which would possibly lead to ending the shutdown.