On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer discussed the government shutdown in separate national addresses.
The government shutdown has now entered its 19th day.
In his speech, the President called the wall along the Mexican border essential to the nation’s security.
House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Schumer advised reopening the government and then continuing the debate on border security.
Senator Steve Daines, a Republican, and Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat, released statements Tuesday night in reaction to the President’s first Oval Office address on border security.
“I’m here at my desk in Washington, D.C., and I just finished watching President Trump address the nation,” Daines said. “I agree with President Trump, we have a crisis on our southern border. Mexican meth is coming into Montana and destroying families across our state. Congress must come together and do the right thing. And until they do so, they shouldn’t get paid. I stand with our border patrol agents and I’m asking that my pay be withheld until we get this issue resolved.”
Tester added:
“Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate already passed legislation to reopen the government and secure our borders. It is time for the President to work with both parties to protect our local communities and put folks back to work.”
