The House passed two measures that would re-open government agencies whose funding had lapsed, but provide no money for a border wall demanded by Donald Trump. "We're not doing a wall," Pelosi told reporters shortly before the votes largely along party lines. Democratic congressional leaders said they will head to the White House Friday at 11:30am (1430 GMT) in a bid to break the impasse, but lawmakers have warned the shutdown could extend for several more days, even weeks. Democrats' new majority in the House of Representatives marked a dramatic power shift on Capitol Hill less than two years before the Republican president's re-election bid, as Democrats intend to put a check on Trump's turbulent White House. That is bad news for White House already besieged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia collusion probe.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 04, 2019 13:41 UTC