- Welcome to the 700 club
on the 35th day of thegovernment shutdown.
President Trump is signalinghe might be ready for a deal.
And Senate leaders arefinally talking to one another
about how to end the crisis.
- Still, 800,000 federal employees
will miss another paycheck today,
and with Nancy Pelosi opposingany funds for a border wall,
the President may be one step closer
to declaring a national emergency.
Gary Lane reports.
- After two government funding bills
fell short of the votesneeded in the Senate,
President Trump said he mightagree to reopen the government
if Congress inches closer to his position.
- They pay at sort of a prorateddown payment for the wall.
- [Gary] House Speaker NancyPelosi rejected that idea
just moments after thePresident announced it.
- That is not a reasonableagreement between the Senators.
- Do you know what he's talking about?
What size down payment he's asking for?
- I don't know if he knows whathe's talking about, do you?
- What about a threeweek prorated payment?
- I don't know what that means.
- [Gary] The political impasse
is now causing greaterhardship for federal workers.
800,000 have not received a paycheck
since the end of last year.
Many of those affected,like air traffic controllers
are still working withoutpay as their mortgages
and other unpaid bills pile up.
This aviation safety specialist
says he may be forcedto look for another job.
- At what point do Iresign from this agency?
I can't continue toafford to fund my family
out of my savings andcontinue to pay for myself
to be able to work.
- [Gary] One positive sign,Senate majority leader,
Mitch McConnell is now talking
with minority leader, Chuck Schumer.
Both are hoping to find away to reopen the government.
It comes as somerepublicans begin to defect
from party support of thePresident and the border wall.
The Hill reports somefrustrated republicans
told Vice PresidentPence the President needs
to end the shutdown as soon as possible.
They reportedly told Pence the shutdown
is not a smart political strategy.
In the Roosevelt Cabinet Room,
a reporter asked the President
when he thinks the shutdown will end.
- That I can't tell you.
That I can't tell you, but wehave a lot of alternatives,
but we need border security.
- That statement may indicate
the President may be inching closer
to declaring a state of emergency
on the country's southern border.
That would allow him to bypassCongress and build a wall
with seven billion dollars worth
of funds already identified.
CNN reports the White House has reportedly
already prepared a draft ofthe emergency declaration.
Other presidents havedeclared States of Emergency
as allowed by the NationalEmergencies Act of 1976,
but if Trump takes that route,
it doesn't mean border wall construction
would begin immediately.
Democrats and land owners
would likely challengethe action in court.
Gary Lane, CBN News.
- Well, I have a modestproposal to end the shutdown.
Why not have every member of Congress,
all of their staff members,every member of the Senate,
every member of the Executive branch,
all the various Cabinet level departments,
all of their staff membersnot receive a salary
during the shutdown?
If we had that, then theywould join in with the TSA,
with the Coast Guard, witheveryone at Homeland Security,
and all our Air Traffic Controllers,
and they'd all be in the same boat.
I imagine the shutdownwould end rather quickly.
In other news, specialcounsel Robert Mueller
has indicted one of PresidentTrump's campaign advisors.
John Jessup has more on that story
from our CBN News bureau in Washington.
John?
- That's right, Gordon,authorities arrested Roger Stone
at his home in Florida this morning.
He faces charges of witnesstampering, obstruction,
and making false statements, among others.
The arrest is in connectionwith his interactions
related to hacked emailsreleased by Wikileaks.
The emails were stolen
from Hillary Clinton'scampaign chairman, John Podesta
and made public in the weeksprior to Clinton's defeat.
Mueller's team saysRussians stole the emails
and suspects Stone mayhave had prior knowledge
of their release.
The long time Trumpassociate is not charged
with helping Russiainfluence the 2016 election,
and Stone denies any wrong doing.
Well, Christians in Venezuelaare taking up the fight
for the country's future in prayer.
Evangelicals are rallyingand praying for their nation,
asking God to bring peace andreturn Venezuela to democracy.
Meanwhile, interimPresident Juan Guaido says
he would consider granting amnesty
to President Nicolas Maduro and his allies
if they help return the countryto constitutional order.
Guaido is backed by the United States
and Venezuela's NationalAssembly who say Maduro
stole the recent election.
President Maduro claims
he's the rightfullyelected leader of Venezuela
and shows no signs of giving up power.
