- Lots of talk here inWashington, but little progress

as leaders from bothsides of the aisle dig in

over the battle to fund the government.

- Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and myself

can solve this in 20 minutes

if they want to.

- [Amber] The president is holding out

for that $5 billion he says is needed

to protect Americansfrom illegal immigrants

at the southern border,

including criminalactivities like drug dealing

and human trafficking.

- We have an absolute crisis.

- [Amber] He's also signalinga change in language

when it comes to the wall, tweeting,

"We are now planning a SteelBarrier rather than concrete."

It's something the White Househopes will ease negotiations

with Democrats who they sayvoted for a border in the past.

- At the end of the day, though,

Democrats have said over and over again

that they support border security.

Now it's time to fulfill

some of those statementsthat they've made.

- [Amber] With or withoutDemocratic support,

President Trump is toying with the idea

of declaring a national emergency

and having the military build the wall.

- I think the president

would be wide open to acourt challenge saying

where's the emergency?

You have to establishthat in order to do this.

- [Amber] Caught in the middle?

800,000 federal employees,including TSA workers.

Some of those employeesare calling in sick,

resulting in long lines at airports.

- Please, everyone, have patience

with the officers that came to work.

- [Amber] The TSA admitsthe calls have increased,

but nothing extraordinary.

Democrats say they want to openindividual departments now,

and continue immigrationdiscussions down the road.

- This gun-at-our-head approach

with closing down the government

is the thing we most oppose.

- And non-government workerscould feel the sting here, too.

With tax season right around the corner,

experts say those federaltax refunds could be delayed.

Amber Strong, CBN News, in Washington.