Senate leaders said they will send a continuing resolution to the president’s desk on Friday that will reopen partially closed government departments and agencies and will ensure paychecks for 800,000 employees — five weeks after the shutdown began.
“We expect the CR to clear the House and be signed by the president today,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the deal, which provides government funding until Feb. 15, sets in motion a conference between House and Senate lawmakers who will be tasked with finding a long-term deal on border security, including money for a wall that President Trump is demanding and Democrats have been blocking.
“I hope our Democratic friends will stay true to the commitment they’ve stated constantly over the past weeks, that once government was reopened, they’d be perfectly willing to negotiate in good faith on a full-year government funding bill that would include a significant investment in urgently needed border security measures, including physical barriers,” McConnell said.
