The U.S. Senate will vote Thursday on a bipartisan bill that would – temporarily – re-open the federal government. It is the first sign of any possible break in the Republican shutdown of the government, now in its 32nd day.

The New York Times reports the Senate will actually vote on two bills. The first, a bill to reopen the government that includes President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to build a portion of his campaign promised-wall on the southern border.

The second, a bipartisan bill supported by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, would simply re-open and fund the government through February 8, allowing both sides time to negotiate further.

While the first of the two bills seems to have no chance of passage, the Democratic one might because it would, presumably, allow President Trump to deliver the State of the Union address in Congress.

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.

‘Uncharted Territory’

CNN justice correspondent Jessica Schneider told CNN on Tuesday that federal courts will begin running out of money on Friday thanks to President Donald Trump’s government shutdown — and that could include special counsel Robert Mueller’s grand jury.

Schneider said the FBI was already feeling the pinch, as unpaid agents and support staff alike were relying on the help of food banks to get by. The FBI Agents Association, she said, would be releasing a 70-page report that will describe “how the government shutdown is impacting daily operations and investigations.”

“We are also watching for another shoe to drop with this shutdown: the courts,” Schneider said. “The judiciary [is] warning that if the government doesn’t re-open by Friday, funding will be even more significantly impacted and additional court-related payments could be shut off.”

“The courts are warning really that funding could run out. They say the trials will still be going but they have already had to cut back on payments to jurors,” she continued. “Interestingly, that could impact the grand jurors who are seated for the Robert Mueller probe.”

“I hadn’t even thought about that,” replied host Poppy Harlow, looking worried. “This is uncharted territory.”

Watch the video below.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) made it clear today that a move by the president to declare a national emergency to fund the construction of a wall on the United States’ border with Mexico would fail.

“I would hate to see it.,” said Johnson. “Using that act, it would be — in this instance, it would be a far larger act than has ever occurred in the past, so I’d prefer not. Primarily because if we do that, it’s going to go to court and the wall won’t get built.”

Johnson, who does support such a barrier, stuck with other GOP talking points, urging the support of Democrats for negotiating funding for the wall. Democrats have already passed legislation to reopen the government, but Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been unwilling to allow those bills to be voted on in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Trump has backed off somewhat over the last few days, instead moving to get his funding in somewhat more traditional methods, while still holding the government hostage due to his government shutdown.  

Nevertheless, President Trump has kept the option of invoking a national emergency on the table. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also said today that Trump is still considering the move. 

“I asked him, ‘Mr. President, if you want to go down the emergency path, I stand with you.’ He said just 30 minutes ago, ‘That’s my last — last option. I think the legislative route is the best way to go. Let’s make a deal, but I’ll do it if I had to,'” Graham said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Meanwhile, Johnson is seeking to take some of the pressure off of Federal employees by introducing a bill on Monday to get paychecks to those workers. 

View the discussion below:

Image via screen capture from video source.