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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the government shutdown (all times local):
8:45 p.m.
President Donald Trump has rejected a short-term legislative fix for the partial government shutdown, declaring he will "never ever back down."
Trump rejected a suggestion to reopen the government for several weeks while negotiations would continue with Democrats over his demands for $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president also edged further away from the idea of trying to declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress.
No cracks were apparent in the president's deadlock with lawmakers after a weekend with no negotiations at all. His rejection of the short-term option proposed by Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham removed one path forward, and little else is in sight.
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2:20 p.m.
President Donald Trump is vowing to continue to fight for border wall funding during a speech in New Orleans.
Trump spoke at a farm convention Monday, declaring: "When it comes to keeping the American people safe, I will never, ever back down."
Trump spent much of his remarks justifying his position, insisting that a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is needed on security and humanitarian grounds.
Trump says he asked Congress for a "steel barrier" because we "need strength."
Trump is locked in an impasse with congressional Democrats. He has demanded $5.7 billion in wall funding. Democrats, who oppose the wall as immoral and wasteful, have called on him to reopen the government while border negotiations continue.
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12:40 a.m.
Congress returns to Washington for its first full week of business since control of the House reverted to Democrats, but lawmakers will face with the same lingering question: When will the partial government shutdown end?
Sen. Lindsay Graham says he's offered President Donald Trump a possible solution, though it may just be wishful thinking.
The South Carolina Republican is encouraging Trump to reopen government for several weeks to continue negotiating with Democrats over a border wall. Graham says if there's no deal at the end of that time, Trump should take the more dramatic step of declaring a national emergency to build it.
But Trump wants a deal first, and Democrats want government reopened first.
The partial government shutdown is on its 24th day without an end in sight.
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