Trump signs bill to end the longest shutdown in history and reopen the government for three weeks
Submitting to mounting pressure amid growing disruption, President Donald Trump signed a bill Friday to reopen the government for three weeks, backing down from his demand that Congress give him money for his border wall before federal agencies get back to work.
He had earlier announced announced that negotiators had reached a deal to end the 35-day government shutdown – in a dramatic reversal on a deal that does not include funding for his border wall.
Trump told the nation a plan had been reached to reopen the government for three weeks, and said negotiators would use that time for talks on a wall – a demand he walked away from after making it a condition for reopening the government.
First the Senate, then the House swiftly and unanimously approved the deal. Late Friday, Trump signed it into law. The administration asked federal department heads to reopen offices in a ‘prompt and orderly manner’ and said furloughed employees can return to work.
Democratic leaders tried not to gloat as they predicted Trump would sign a bill immediately Friday to reopen government and start the process of paying 800,000 furloughed and unpaid federal workers. But Sen. Charles Schumer said he hoped Trump had ‘learned his lesson.’
‘I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,’ Trump said at the Rose Garden after being applauded by his cabinet members and his White House staff when he approached the podium for remarks.
The deal includes no funding for the wall beyond existing authorities for repair of existing structures. But Trump referenced a ‘very powerful alternative’ that he has – a reference to emergency powers he claims he has but ‘hopefully’ won’t have to use.
He said a bipartisan committee of lawmakers would meet to discuss border security needs.