President Trump on Tuesday afternoon is hosting Republican senators for a Rose Garden lunch as the government shutdown hits its three-week mark with no endgame in sight.
Another Senate vote on the House-pass funding bill will take place Wednesday amid the increasing pressure.
Increased delays at major airports are starting to make lawmakers squirm, after a tough weekend. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Monday there were “increased staffing shortages across the system” on Sunday, backing up flights in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Newark, N.J.
And some GOP senators are uneasy with the Trump administration’s plan to cut off transportation funding to “blue states” like New York and Massachusetts during the government shutdown, warning that freezing funds as an apparent act of political retaliation is not appropriate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) addressed reporters, as has been customary, and also reportedly gathered the House GOP conference for a call on Tuesday. The House has been out of D.C. for over a month. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) suggested it was time for the lower chamber to return.
Trump will also host a Rose Garden dinner as well as a Diwali celebration at the White House later Tuesday.
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