WASHINGTON – The US Defense Department will continue its mission to defendthe people of the United States, American allies and US vital interestsaround the world during the government shutdown that began at midnight,Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a statement early Saturday morning.
“We will continue to execute daily operations around the world – ships andsubmarines will remain at sea, our aircraft will continue to fly and ourwarfighters will continue to pursue terrorists throughout the Middle East,Africa and South Asia,” Mattis said.
“While training for reservists must be curtailed, active forces will stayat their posts adapting their training to achieve the least negative impacton our readiness to fight,” he said.
He said he also recognized the consequences of a government shutdown.
“You have my personal commitment that the department’s leadership will doour best to mitigate the impacts of the disruptions and any financialburdens to you (military personnel) and your families.
“Steady as she goes – hold the line. I know the nation can count on you.”
Just before his signature, Mattis wrote “Stay alert.”
This comes just hours after the US government officially shut down atmidnight on Friday (Washington time) after Democrats and Republicans failedto reach a last-minute deal to fund its operations, divided in a bitterdispute over immigration and border security, Reuters reported.
In a dramatic late-night session, senators blocked a bill to extendgovernment funding through February 16. The bill needed 60 votes in the100-member Senate but fell short with only 50 supporting it.
Most Democrats opposed the bill because their efforts to includeprotections for hundreds of thousands for the young immigrants known asDreamers failed.
Reuters reported that huddled negotiations by Senate majority leader MitchMcConnell and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in the last minutesbefore midnight were unsuccessful, and the US government technically ranout of money at midnight.
The shutdown formally began on Saturday, the first anniversary of PresidentDonald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s administration immediately sought to blame Democrats.
“Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families,vulnerable children, and our country’s ability to serve all Americans,” theWhite House said in a statement.
The Trump administration said it would not discuss immigration until thegovernment is up and running again.
“When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders, we willreopen negotiations on immigration reform,” the statement said.
Until a funding deal is worked out, scores of federal agencies across thecountry will be unable to operate, and hundreds of thousands of“non-essential” federal workers will be put on temporary unpaid leave.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a stopgap fundingmeasure on Thursday. But Republicans then needed the support of at least 10Democrats to pass the bill in the Senate. While five Democrats ended upvoting for the measure, five Republicans voted against it, Reuters reported.
Democratic leaders demanded that the measure include protections fromdeportation for about 700,000 undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers whoarrived in the United States as children.
Republicans refused to include those protections, and neither side waswilling to back down. McConnell and Schumer insisted they were stillcommitted to finding an agreement that restores government funding as soonas possible, reported Reuters.
Trump, who had made strict measures on immigration a cornerstone of hispresidential campaign, last week rejected a bipartisan proposal, saying hewanted to include any deal for Dreamers in a bigger legislative packagethat also boosts funding for a border wall and tighter security at the USborder with Mexico.
In a shutdown, “essential” employees who deal with public safety andnational security would keep working. That includes more than 1.3 millionpeople on active duty in the military who would be required to work butwould not be paid until funding is renewed.