Longest Government Shutdown In US Ends As Trump Relents

The longest government shutdown in US history is almost over after US President Donald Trump announced on Friday (Jan 15) that he will sign a temporary spending bill to fund the government at least for the next three weeks, CNN has reported. The shutdown left at least 800,000 federal workers without paychecks for weeks.

The shutdown was precipitated by Trump’s demand to provide the $5.7 billion in border-wall funding.

A congressional committee with representatives of both Democrats and Republicans will now attempt to strike a compromise solution that will permit construction of a border wall in exchange for a three-year asylum extension for vulnerable immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

In case the joint committee fail to come up with an acceptable border-security bill, Trump may declare a national emergency in order to bypass Congress and go ahead with the construction of the wall.

“We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shutdown on February 15 again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency,” he said.