The government heads into the second day of a shutdown with little evidence the fiasco is coming to a close.
The government heads into the second day of a shutdown with little evidence the fiasco is coming to a close.
On Tuesday, House Republicans proposed a series of small bills to restore funding to popular government operations like national parks and veterans’ benefits—without any strings attached.
But Senate majority leader Harry Reid rejected that idea, and President Obama announced he would veto.
Those bills died in the House after failing to meet the two-thirds majority needed to pass.
Republican aides indicated they might bring the bills back up on Wednesday under a rule that would require only a simple majority to pass.
The White House announced on Wednesday that Obama was cutting his upcoming trip to Asia short, due to the government shutdown. Originally planned as a four-nation tour, Obama is still scheduled to travel to Indonesia and Brunei, but will postpone his visits to Malaysia and the Philippines.
Also on Wednesday, the country’s top intelligence officer warned that the shutdown was threatening national security.
Before a hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), James Clapper told senators that with 70% of intelligence workers furloughed, “This is dreamland for foreign intelligence service to recruit.” He said the ability of the U.S. to protect its citizens was seriously damaged.
