The moves amounted to an increasingly calculated and confrontational strategy from congressional Democrats as the shutdown over President Trump’s demand for money for a wall on the Mexican border entered its third week. The impacts of the shutdown were widening after a weekend of fitful staff-level negotiations at the White House yielded no result. The White House has rejected House Democrats’ approach, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has insisted repeatedly that he will not bring up any bill in the Senate that does not have Trump’s support. Pence also will meet with Senate Republicans on Wednesday. Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) said his voters don’t want him to give in and give Trump wall money so they can get their paychecks and go back to work.

Source: Washington Post January 07, 2019 19:41 UTC