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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 8 January 2019

Trump heads to TV, border as fed workers face paycheck sting

By MATTHEW DALY, CATH- he wants. Vice President years — has said he would refunds will go out as nor- across the country who re-
ERINE LUCEY and LISA MAS- Mike Pence said the White like to continue negotia- mal,” said Russell Vought, main focused on the mis-
CARO, Associated Press House counsel’s office is tions for now. acting director of the White sion and are respectful to
WASHINGTON (AP) — With the traveling public,” said
no breakthrough in sight, TSA spokesman Michael
President Donald Trump will Bilello.
argue his case to the na- The talks over ending the
tion Tuesday night that a shutdown have been at an
“crisis” at the U.S.-Mexico impasse over Trump’s de-
border requires the long mand for the wall. He has
and invulnerable wall he’s offered to build the bar-
demanding before end- rier with steel rather than
ing the partial government concrete, billing that as a
shutdown. Hundreds of concession to Democrats’
thousands of federal work- objections. They “don’t
ers face missed paychecks like concrete, so we’ll give
Friday as the shutdown them steel,” he said.
drags through a third week. But Democrats have made
Trump’s Oval Office speech clear that they object to
— his first as president— will the wall itself, not how it’s
be followed by his visit Thurs- constructed. They see it as
day to the southern border immoral and ineffective
to highlight his demand for and prefer other types of
a barrier. White House press border security funded at
secretary Sarah Huckabee already agreed-upon lev-
Sanders tweeted that he els.
will use the visit to “meet Two people embrace on the U.S. side of the border, seen through the border wall Monday, Jan. 7, “Maybe he thinks he can
with those on the front lines 2019, seen from along the beach in Tijuana, Mexico. U.S. bully us. But I’m from Brook-
of the national security and Associated Press lyn. You let a bully succeed,
humanitarian crisis.” you’ll be bullied again
The administration is also looking at the idea. Such As Trump’s prime-time ad- House budget office. worse,” Senate Minority
at least talking about the a move would certainly dress and his border visit There were other signs that Leader Charles Schumer
idea of declaring a na- draw legal challenges, were announced, newly administration was work- said at a breakfast with
tional emergency to allow and Trump — who told law- empowered House Dem- ing to control the damage the Association for a Better
Trump to move forward on makers he would be willing ocrats — and at least a from the shutdown, which New York.
the wall without Congress to keep the government few Republican senators has furloughed 380,000 At the White House, spokes-
approving the $5.6 billion closed for months or ever — stepped up pressure on federal workers and forced woman Mercedes Schlapp
GOP lawmakers to reopen another 420,000 to work complained that Demo-
the government without without pay. cratic leaders have yet to
giving in to the president’s The National Park Service define what they mean
demands The closure, said it was dipping into when they say they are for
which has lasted 17 days, entrance fees to pay for enhancing border security.
is already the second-lon- staffing at some highly vis- “Democrats want to se-
gest in history and would ited parks to maintain rest- cure the border? Great.
become the longest this rooms, clean up trash and Come to the table,” she
weekend. patrol the grounds, after said Monday. “We are will-
Leaning on Senate Repub- reports of human waste ing to come to a deal to re-
licans, some of whom are and garbage overflowing open the government.”
growing anxious about the in some spots. Trump has tasked Pence
impact of the shutdown, Over the weekend, the during the shutdown fight
House Speaker Nancy Pe- federal agency tasked with to negotiate with Demo-
losi said the House would guaranteeing U.S. airport crats, including during talks
begin passing individual security acknowledged an over the weekend with
bills this week that would increase in the number of Democratic staffers. But the
reopen federal agencies, its employees missing work vice president is increas-
starting with the Treasury or calling in sick. ingly being called upon to
Department to ensure But Trump and the Trans- prevent defections in the
Americans receive their tax portation Security Adminis- GOP ranks.
refunds . tration pushed back on any Asked whether cracks were
The White House moved to suggestion that the call- forming between the White
pre-empt the Democrats, outs at the agency repre- House and Republicans
telling reporters Monday sented a “sickout” that was eager for the shutdown to
that tax refunds would be having a significant effect end, Pence told reporters,
paid despite the shutdown. on U.S. air travel. TSA said “We’ve been in touch with
That shutdown exemption it screened more than 2.2 those members and oth-
would break from the prac- million passengers Sunday, ers.”
tice of earlier administra- a historically busy day due He said that he and Home-
tions and could be chal- to holiday travel. Ninety land Security Secretary
lenged. percent waited less than 15 Kirstjen Nielsen would be
“There is an indefinite ap- minutes, the agency said. at the Capitol Tuesday
propriation to pay tax re- “We are grateful to the and Wednesday to brief
funds. As a result ... the more than 51,000 agents lawmakers.q