JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Senate adjourned without a deal on spending, an hour after the House ended its session, guaranteeing a partial government shutdown beginning at midnight Friday.
Senators expect to return at noon Saturday as talks continue.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers braced for a government shutdown at midnight Friday as President Donald Trump and Congress failed to resolve a bitter impasse over his demand for $5 billion to build a border wall with Mexico.
As the clock ticked, a partial government closure appeared likely, with Trump and congressional Democrats refusing to give an inch.
"We're totally prepared for a very long shutdown," Trump said Friday.
Overall, more than 800,000 federal employees would see their jobs disrupted, including more than half who would be forced to continue working without pay.
House Republicans worked to get a stopgap spending bill. Then the Senate worked the problem. But a war of words ensued between the White House and the upper chamber’s minority leader.
"President Trump, you will not get your wall. Abandon your shutdown strategy," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Trump said, "It's really up to the Democrats -- totally up to the Democrats as to whether we have a shutdown."
"President Trump, you own the shutdown," Schumer said.
News4Jax political analyst, Rick Mullaney, director of Jacksonville University's Public Policy Institute, said earlier this week, it appeared they were going to have a deal and a continuing resolution, but now each side has dug in.
"The president has made it clear that unless he gets $5 billion for the wall, he's not going to sign the bill. And the Democrats have made it clear that they are opposed," Mullaney said Friday. "Right now, each side is in their opposite corner and it looks like we're heading to a shutdown."
Mullaney said it looks like Trump is the key, as he tries to keep a campaign promise.
"He knows that this is his best chance to get the votes because come February, the Democrats are going to be in control of the House," Mullaney said.