25% of federal government is officially shut down, negotiations continue

by

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:40 AM PT -Sat. Dec. 22, 2018

The federal government is officially shut down, with lawmakers continuing negotiations to reach an agreement

The shutdown comes after the Senate failed to vote on legislation approved by the House.

Lawmakers said the bill, containing $5.7 billion for the southern border wall, didn’t have enough votes to pass the Senate.

 

All eyes were on the Senate Friday afternoon as an effort to vote on a bill to fund President Donald Trump’s border wall teetered on the edge.J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Negotiations are expected to continue on Capitol Hill, to try to end the partial government shut down.

House and Senate leaders have begun reconvening, as they try to come to terms on a funding agreement.

President Trump has vowed to veto any bill that doesn’t fund a border wall and congressional Democrats are refusing to pay for it.

In a tweet Saturday he said he is negotiating with Democrats on desperately needed border security.

Now, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are facing uncertainty about when their next paycheck is coming.

However, in a message to the American people Friday night, President Trump suggested the shutdown won’t be long.