WASHINGTON — U.S. employers dramatically stepped up hiring in December, adding 312,000 jobs in an encouraging display of strength for an economy in the midst of a trade war, slowing global growth and a partial government shutdown. The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.9...
Day 13: New Congress, Same Old Impasse Over Trump’s Wall
WASHINGTON — The partial government shutdown entered a 13th day Thursday with House Democrats prepared to pass their plan to reopen the government and President Donald Trump accusing them of playing politics with an eye on the 2020 election. Both sides appeared at an impasse over Trump's demand for billions...
GOP and Democrats Trade Blame for Shutdown, No Deal in Sight
WASHINGTON — The partial government shutdown will almost certainly be handed off to a divided government to solve in the new year, as both parties traded blame Friday and President Donald Trump sought to raise the stakes in the weeklong impasse. As agreement eludes Washington in the waning days of...
White House, Congressional Democrats See No Deal on Shutdown
WASHINGTON — Chances look slim for ending the partial government shutdown any time soon. Lawmakers are away from Washington for the holidays and have been told they will get 24 hours' notice before having to return for a vote. And although the Senate is slated to come into session Thursday...
Trump Hangs Tough as Partial Government Shutdown Continues
WASHINGTON — Christmas has come and gone but the partial government shutdown is just getting started. Wednesday brings the first full business day after several government departments and agencies closed up over the weekend due to a budgetary stalemate between President Donald Trump and Congress. And there is no end...
Trump: Shutdown Could Last 'for a Very Long Time’
WASHINGTON — Facing a midnight deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump said Friday a closure could drag on "for a very long time" and he tried to lay blame on congressional Democrats if there's no deal over his demand for U.S.-Mexico border wall money. Trump's tweet...
A Little Greasy Pork Might Fix What Ails Congress
Congress passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill March 22 – only narrowly averting a third government shutdown this year. President Trump then signed the bill into law. Congress’s inability to pass spending bills on schedule has produced unrelenting frustration and criticism by commentators and members of Congress alike. Because the congressional...