WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday night released the following statement after President Trump’s oval office address on the partial government shutdown and border security.

“We are now in the third week of the Trump shutdown and nothing the president said tonight gets us any closer to a solution,” said Murphy. “The Senate unanimously passed legislation before the holidays that would have funded the government through February to give us time to reach a long term agreement, but right after it passed President Trump revoked his prior support because he didn’t get the money for his stupid wall. My constituents back home in Connecticut shouldn’t have to wonder when they’re going to get their next paycheck or when they’re going back to work because the president isn’t getting his wall that no one on the border wants anyway. President Trump and Senate Republicans need to end this shutdown and open the government today.”

Parts of the federal government, including the Departments of Treasury, State, and Homeland Security, have been closed since December 22nd after the White House and Congress couldn’t come to an agreement after the president went back on his word and opposed a continuing resolution. Last month, the Senate voted unanimously to fund the government through February 8th, 2019 without funding for a border wall.

 

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