A federal government shutdown went into effect Saturday after the Senate voted 50-49 to reject another continuing resolution that would fund agencies through Feb. 16, Politico reported Saturday.The Senate’s decision resulted in the first official shutdown since 2013 and came a day after the House voted to approve the four-week stopgap measure.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) met with President Donald Trump at the White House Friday to strike an agreement.
Schumer said he and Trump tackled all issues on which both chambers disagree but “even though President Trump seemed to like an outline of the deal in the room, he did not press his party in Congress to accept it.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said he will introduce another CR that would keep agencies open through Feb. 8.
The Hill also reported that a bipartisan group of approximately 20 senators has begun work on a new measure that seeks to reopen the federal government.
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia) said the group had not arrived at an agreement, but a “consensus of understanding.â€
Lawmakers say their discussions revolved around how to secure 60 votes to pass the three-week stopgap bill that would include a commitment to bring an immigration measure to the Senate floor, the report added.
Under a government shutdown, military functions and other critical government activities will continue and employees who fall in the “nonessential†category will not report for work.
