Page 3 - AT

A3
U.S. NEWS Friday 18 January 2019
BIG SPEECH the forum could have ad-
Continued from Front equate security. Republi-
"In light of the 800,000 great cans said she was merely
American workers not re- trying to deny the president
ceiving pay, I'm sure you the stage.
would agree that post- While Pelosi did not imme-
poning this public relations diately respond to being
event is totally appropri- denied her trip, the No. 2
ate," he said. Democrat in the House,
Pelosi spokesman Drew Rep. Steny Hoyer, called
Hammill said she planned Trump's action "petty. It is
to travel to Afghanistan small. It is vindictive."
and Brussels to thank ser- Some Republicans also ex-
vice members and obtain pressed frustration. Repub-
briefings on national secu- lican Sen. Lindsey Graham
rity and intelligence "from tweeted: "One sophomoric
those on the front lines." He response does not deserve
noted Trump had traveled another." He called Pelosi's
to Iraq during the shutdown State of the Union move
and said a Republican-led "very irresponsible and bla-
congressional trip also had tantly political" but said
taken place. Trump's effort was "also in- Internal Revenue Service employees, front row from the left, Brian Lanouette, of Merrimack, N.H.,
The political tit-for-tat be- appropriate." Mary Maldonado, of Dracut, Mass., and Maria Zangari, of Haverhill, Mass., display placards during
tween Trump and Pelosi Trump has still not said how a rally by federal employees and supporters, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, in front of the Statehouse, in
Boston, held to call for an end of the partial shutdown of the federal government.
underscored the tension he will handle Pelosi's at- Associated Press
between the two leaders, tempt to have him post-
both playing to their core pone his State of the Union brows among the U.S. dip- partment was "good" de- nearly 23 percent overseas
supporters as they battle address until the govern- lomatic corps last week spite the shutdown and the had been furloughed and
over the president's de- ment is reopened so work- when he proclaimed that fact that 40 percent of its the rest were working with-
mand for money to build ers can be paid for provid- morale at the State De- employees in the U.S. and out pay.q
a U.S.-Mexico border wall. ing security for the grand
The sparring took place as Washington tradition.
hundreds of thousands of Pelosi told reporters earlier
federal workers go without Thursday: "Let's get a date
pay and Washington's rou- when government is open.
tine protocols — a presi- Let's pay the employees.
dent's speech to Congress, Maybe he thinks it's OK
a lawmaker's official trip — not to pay people who do
become inflamed from the work. I don't."
budget fight. Trump declined to address
Pelosi would normally the stalemate over the
make such a trip on a mili- speech Thursday during a
tary aircraft supplied by the visit to the Pentagon, simply
Pentagon. According to a promising that the nation
defense official, Pelosi did will have "powerful, strong
request Defense Depart- border security."
ment support for overseas Pelosi reiterated she is will-
travel and it was initially ap- ing to negotiate money for
proved. The official wasn't border security once the
authorized to speak by government is reopened,
name about the matter, so but she said Democrats re-
spoke on condition of ano- main opposed to Trump's
nymity. long-promised wall. "I'm not
The official said the presi- for a wall," Pelosi said twice,
dent does have the au- mouthing the statement a
thority to cancel the use of third time for effect.
military aircraft. While the shutdown
White House spokeswoman dragged on, the State De-
Sarah Huckabee Sanders partment instructed all U.S.
said Trump wanted Pelosi diplomats in Washington
to stay in Washington be- and elsewhere to return to
fore Tuesday, a deadline work next week with pay,
to prepare the next round saying it had found mon-
of paychecks for federal ey for their salaries at least
workers. temporarily. In a notice to
"We want to keep her in staff, the department said
Washington," Sanders said. it can pay most of its em-
"The president wants her ployees beginning Sunday
here to negotiate." or Monday for their next
Trump's move to ground pay period. They will not be
the speaker came after paid for time worked since
Pelosi threatened Trump's the shutdown began in De-
planned Jan. 29 State of cember until the situation is
the Union address, say- resolved, said the notice.
ing the shutdown raised Secretary of State Mike
concerns about whether Pompeo had raised eye-