McConnell Attempts
to Avoid a Government Shutdown The Republican Senate Majority
Leader introduced a temporary
funding bill to keep the government
open through February. Current funding for the
government is set to expire
on Friday at midnight. Senate Minority leader
Chuck Schumer said the bill
has the backing of Senate Democrats. The bill does not
include funding for President
Donald Trump's border wall. The cost of the wall
is estimated at $5 billion. Should the bill introduced by
McConnell pass both the Senate
and House, it is unclear if
the president will sign it. One quarter of
government agencies
are at risk of a shutdown. The agencies
include the
Department of
Homeland Security, Within these agencies, more
than 400,000 employees
considered essential would
be required to report to work. During a government shutdown,
those employees would
not earn a paycheck.