| | | | Will this be the shutdown that never ends? |  | | President Donald Trump said Friday that he's prepared for the government shutdown to last for months or even years ... but could it actually?
The shutdown that now leaves garbage piling up in federal parks across the country and 800,000 federal workers without paychecks has already rolled into the new year.
And just because there's a whole crop of new House members and senators doesn't mean the stalemate in Washington is changing anytime soon. In fact, it makes a quick resolution even less likely.
Emerging from his and newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's second meeting with Trump this week (not televised this time), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that Trump threatened to "keep the government closed for a very long period of time -- months or even years."
Trump then confirmed he wouldn't budge, saying he's prepared for the government to be shut down for years, if necessary. The President said the $5 billion he wants for border wall funding is "absolutely critical to border security, and national security is a wall or a physical barrier that prevents entry in the first place,." He added that he would even consider declaring a national emergency on border security to resolve the issue if he can't come to an agreement with congressional Democrats.
Meanwhile, Capitol Hill felt like the first day of school Thursday, as hundreds of members of Congress, their staffers, families and supporters descended for the kickoff of the 116th Congress.
The Point: Here's to hoping the President/newly minted legislators' New Year's resolutions are to end the shutdown this year -- or this could go on for a while.
Here's the week in headlines:
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "You can't impeach somebody that's doing a great job."
-- President Donald Trump giving his own spin on how the impeachment process works in a news conference from the Rose Garden. | | | MEET YOUR NEW CONGRESS: MADELEINE DEAN | |  | Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania rounds out this week's installment of Meet Your New Members of Congress.
The newly minted congresswoman and Keystone State native represents the redrawn 4th District in southeast Pennsylvania. She gave Lauren her take on what will happen next with the government shutdown, and shared the song that makes her truly happy.
Lauren Dezenski: In four words, describe what you felt while being sworn in.
Madeleine Dean: Thrilled, hopeful, mindful and determined.
LD: What's your top priority in your first term?
MD: There are so many issues that require our attention. Here are two that have something in common:
First, we need to restore decency and good governance to public service.
And second, an issue close to my heart is gun violence. Imagine: In 2017, guns killed nearly 40,000 Americans -- the third year in a row that gun deaths increased in our country. We know how to save lives, and now we have to do it.
Ultimately, our approach to governing and our choices on policy issues aren't separate -- they're both rooted in a recognition of our common humanity.
LD: What's your expectation on what will happen with the current partial government shutdown?
MD: My expectation is that we do our job. The House just passed bipartisan legislation to reopen the government, and Republican senators are expressing frustration with the President's intransigence. The American people sent us here to ensure that their government functions well and delivers the services they need. They want leaders who focus on solving problems, and that's what I plan to do.
LD: What was your biggest lesson from your campaign?
MD: America is a big-hearted place. I knew that already, of course, but it was so clear throughout the campaign. People in my district -- and across the county -- are eager to take our politics in a more decent and compassionate direction.
LD: Do you have a favorite pump-up song?
MD: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. You can't help smiling when you hear it.
LD: Tell me about your favorite food from your district.
MD: The Glenside Pub in my hometown, Glenside, PA. It's a great local spot: good food, friendly people -- Glenside's very own Cheers.
Thank you to Point reader Fatima Alsammak for suggesting that we talk to Rep. Dean! Stay tuned - we've got even more interviews lined up with the new House members. Is there a new face we should talk to from your district? Email lauren.dezenski@cnn.com with your suggestions! | | | Today's tune, "Get Me to the Church on Time," is inspired by soon-to-be-married Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, who played the track (and tweeted about it) as his staff hurried him back to his district for his wedding Saturday morning. Mazel, congressman! | |
⚖️MUELLER'S GRAND JURY KEEPS GOING ⚖️ | | Special counsel Robert Mueller's federal grand jury could be around for a while, after today's extension for the 23-person grand jury.
The top-secret jurors have already been seated for 18 months, and their term was set to expire in the coming days.
Under federal rules, the court is able to extend a grand jury's term for another six months if it is "in the public interest," according to CNN's Katelyn Polantz -- but it's not known for how long this grand jury will go on. | |
WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT: 2020 EDITION | | Julian Castro: The former HUD secretary is hitting the big early-nomination states in the next couple weeks. He'll be in Iowa on Monday and Nevada on Tuesday. Castro's then headed to New Hampshire on January 16 for his installment of the must-attend Politics and Eggs sit-downs -- four days after his planned announcement on whether or not he'll run for president...
Cory Booker: The senator from New Jersey plans to speak in South Carolina on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This comes amid reports Booker is building up his campaign infrastructure should he decide to run.
Elizabeth Warren: The highest-profile presidential candidate *so far* jets to Iowa this weekend.
Hillary Clinton: No, she's not staffing up in Iowa. The 2016 Democratic nominee is meeting with would-be 2020 candidates who are looking for her support in the primary -- including Warren, Kamala Harris, Booker, John Hickenlooper and Eric Garcetti. | | ...for January 29! 🗓
President Trump's State of the Union address is officially scheduled for the final Tuesday in January. The annual speech is traditionally delivered by the president before a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the invitation of the speaker. | |  | | From Brenna: "It's 2019 and I guess we're still dabbing. Check out this (and many other) examples of kids being kids on the House floor in our weekly GIFticle, and share The Point with the kids (and kids at heart) in your life!" | | | | | | |
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