Washington: The ongoing partial US government shutdown became the longest in the country’s history on Saturday, entering its 22nd day.
The shut down was sparked by a stand-off over funding for US President Donald Trump’s border wall project
The current shutdown which started from Dec 22 suppressed the previous record of 21 days which was set in 1996 when during President Bill Clinton’s regime.
Negotiations are at a standstill and no more talks are scheduled for the weekend or early next week. The White House scuttled efforts to reach a deal on Capitol Hill on Thursday (Jan 10), and Trump’s budget team is drawing up contingency plans for a shutdown that extends through the end of February, according to an administration official.
ALSO READ: US President cancels Davos trip, as partial US govt shutdown continues
Meanwhile, according to reports, 800,000 federal workers missed their pay for the first time on Friday –at least some receiving pay stubs for $0.00 – as unions sued the government for requiring their members to work without pay.
At least one airport planned to close a concourse as absences rose among security screeners who haven’t received their wages.
On Friday Trump said that he planned to sign a Bill guaranteeing that federal employees will be given back pay once the government reopens.
Democrats and the President remain at loggerheads, with party leaders saying they won’t agree to fund any kind of wall or barrier and Trump insisting he won’t agree to reopen the government until the wall is funded.