US Senate votes down both Democrat and Republican bills to end government shutdown
- The Republican bill included funding for US President Donald Trump’s border wall
- Six Republicans voted in favour of a Democratic alternative but measure still failed
The US Senate on Thursday rejected competing Republican and Democratic plans to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 34th day.
The Republican bill included funding for US President Donald Trump’s border wall while the Democratic plan did not.
Both measures failed to win the 60 votes needed to move forward. But some lawmakers and analysts have expressed hope that the exercise could lead to more serious talks about a compromise.
The Senate rejected Trump’s proposal on a 50-47 vote, with Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, both Republicans, crossing party lines to vote against the measure and Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat, joining most Republicans in voting yes.
The bill also called for funding for 750 more Border Patrol agents, 375 additional Customs and Border Protection officers and 2,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and support staffers.
