US shutdown hits hard as workers don’t receive salaries
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Donald Trump has said it would be easy for him just to declare a national emergency and find federal money to build a barrier along the southern border, but he’s not going to be so quick to do that because he Congress can reach a deal.
Mr Trump spoke during a discussion at the White House with state, local and community leaders about border security and safe communities.
The president said the “easy solution is for me to call a national emergency … but I’m not going to do it so fast.”
“This is something that Congress can do,” he added.
Thousands of federal workers missed their first pay cheque of the year on Friday as the US government shutdown neared an ignominious record for the longest in the nation’s history.
More than 800,000 public sector staff are either furloughed or have been working without any guarantee of pay since the current impasse began on the 21 December.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent an email to State Department workers Friday addressing the challenging nature of the government shutdown, but said “we face a serious humanitarian and security crisis, and the President is working to secure our southern border and bring reforms that will ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers union is filing suit against the Trump administration over the partial federal government shutdown.
