2018 federal government shutdown

The president invoked emergency powers to free up more money than Congress had allowed in its spending deal. House Democrats are launching an investigation into his decision.

House and Senate leaders aim to vote by the Friday deadline on a seven-bill spending package that includes a $1.375 billion in funding for 55 miles of fencing along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Congressional negotiators are close to a budget deal, but it provides less than what the president wants for a border wall and limits the number of people immigration officials can detain.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., told reporters that he believes Congress can approve the legislation and send it to the president before the Friday night deadline to avert another partial shutdown.

If an agreement isn't reached by Friday at midnight, the government could partially shut down again, just three weeks after the end of a 35-day partial government shutdown.

The president made the case for his agenda, not bowing to the new divided-government power dynamic in Washington. And he did not appear ready to negotiate to avoid another partial government shutdown.

Immigrants, Border Patrol agents and the first beneficiary of a new criminal justice law will be among those attending President Trump's prime-time address.

Democrats say they plan to follow through on the campaign pledges to protect health care and close the gender pay gap. With the shutdown over, they plan to push legislation and prove they can govern.

President Trump criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on border security in an interview with CBS. The interview aired two days before a speech in which Trump is expected to call for compromise.

"The federal government already has a recruitment problem, right?" said one expert. If "you watch this play out for the last 35 days, are you saying to yourself, 'Sign me up for that?' Probably not."