President Trump traded blamed with congressional Democrats on Tuesday as the clock ticked down to a near-certain government shutdown starting early Wednesday morning.
With no talks or a deal in sight, the nation looked set to be plunged into the first shutdown in seven years , one that would suspend non-essential federal services and force thousands of federal workers onto unpaid furloughs or worse.
A shutdown will start at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday unless the Senate dramatically shifts course and votes to extend federal funding for seven weeks while lawmakers finish their work on annual spending bills.
Senate Democrats say they won’t provided the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster unless Republicans agree to an extension of expiring health care benefits, among other demands.
Tru