State of the Union unlikely to be in House if government not open, Democrat says
As President Trump moves forward with plans for a State of the Union address Tuesday, a top House Democrat said it is unlikely to be held in the traditional location of the House of Representatives chamber.
"Unless the government is reopened, it is highly unlikely the State of the Union will take place on the floor of the House of Representatives," House Democratic caucus chairman Hakeem Jeffries told reporters.
The Senate is expected to vote Thursday to advance two proposals to end the government shutdown, one which provides money for Mr. Trump's requested border wall, and one which reopens the government but does not include wall funding. Both proposals need 60 votes in order to advance to a full vote on the Senate floor.
The House, too, plans to take up six appropriations bills and is also including new border security funding, though not funding for a southern border wall. The Senate, however, will not take up this bill. Instead, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to bring up the plan proposed by the White House, which House Democrats have already uniformly rejected.