Democrats to push for short-term reopening of govt.

With the government mired in shutdown week four, President Donald Trump rejected a short-term legislative fix and dug in for more combat Monday, declaring he would “never ever back down.”

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey introduced two measures on Monday, the first of which seeks to provide funding for government bodies until February 1st and a second motion for funding until February 28th.

“These two new Continuing Resolutions offer President Trump and Senate Republicans additional options to end the shutdown while allowing time for negotiation on border security and immigration policy,” said Lowey.

House Democrats passed similar bills earlier this month. The Republican dominated Senate has, nonetheless, blocked all of them.

Trump rejected a suggestion to reopen the government for several weeks while negotiations would continue with Democrats over his demands for $5.7 billion for a long, impregnable wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to propose any funding which US President Donald Trump won’t sign.

“Let’s not get off on the wrong foot, with House Democrats using their new platform to produce political statements rather than serious solutions,” said McConnell previously.

Meanwhile, the impact of the 24-day partial government closure was intensifying around the country. Some 800,000 federal workers missed paychecks Friday, deepening anxieties about mortgage payments and unpaid bills, and about half of them were off the job, cutting off some services.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll published Jan. 13 found that 54 percent of Americans oppose a wall along the border, while 42 percent express support for it. Fully 87 percent of Republicans favor the wall, compared with about as many Democrats (84 percent) who are opposed.