CNN - Partial shutdown continues - Dec. 18, 1995 CNN U.S. News

Partial shutdown continues with no end in sight

December 18, 1995
Web posted at: 12:35 a.m. EST

From Capitol Hill Corespondent Candy Crowley

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Efforts to end the partial government shutdown before the work week begins failed Sunday as budget negotiators failed to reach an agreement.

The emergency spending resolution that sent federal furloughed federal workers back to work last month expired Friday at midnight. The result: approximately 260,000 federal workers will stay home Monday until a new stop-gap resolution or a permanent budget is signed into law.

Over the weekend, tourists felt the brunt of the shutdown. "I'm ticked off," said 12-year-old Aaron Koch who wanted to visit the St. Louis Arch. "I hope Clinton or whoever knows how disappointing it is to come here and not get up the arch."

"The government needs major help," said Chad Kaehne of Milwaukee. "The public is going to have the last laugh when election time comes around."

Efforts to find a solution to the budget impasse Sunday failed. The Senate convened briefly to consider plans to pass a five-day spending measure, but members were unable to agree on a plan to end the shutdown.

White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta met first with House and Senate Democrats and later with a bipartisan group of moderate Senators, but neither emerged with a solution to end the budget impasse this weekend. The bipartisan group said they had worked out a compromise plan, but released no details.

"I just think it's good when both Republicans and Democrats are trying to work toward a solution on this issue," Panetta said. Later the centrists pedaled their wares to Republican budgeteers.

"They are offering some very sound advice. Where will it go next, I do not know," said Senate Budget Chairman Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico. "but I'm very hopeful to leave here tonight, working together, rather than working separately. We will take this message and their proposal to our leadership and hopefully it will be of some benefit to getting us where we ought to be." (254K AIFF sound or 254K WAV sound)

The thrust of the moderate offering is a framework that cut taxes by less than Republicans want and increase Medicare and Medicaid savings more than Democrats want.

"You know, the zoo is closed but the Senate is open. That ought to tell you something."

-- Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kansas

There is also talk that Democrats have a new budget in the offing and that the president has a new temporary spending bill he will propose to Republicans Monday.

As Washington braced for a second round of furloughs, it was more talk than movement on the budget.

"Let me say that I very much hope that in the spirit of the season, we can resume these talks in good faith," President Clinton told reporters as he was leaving a Sunday church service. (127K AIFF sound or 127K WAV sound)

"Mr. President, please keep your agreement, put your plan down, reopen the government and let everybody have a Merry Christmas," House Budget Chairman John Kasich said during a press briefing Sunday. (127K AIFF sound or 127K WAV sound)

But not everybody was moved by the spirit of the season. Gathering outside the Washington Monument, closed due to the budget standoff, House Republicans let loose:

"We passed the bill that would allow this monument and all of the monuments up and down the mall to be opened and the president hasn't done his work. He hasn't signed that bill into the law," said Rep. Robert Walker, R-Pennsylvania.

"You know," said Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kansas. "the zoo is closed but the Senate is open. That ought to tell you something. You know what it tells you, but we're here and the bears are resting. In any event, maybe it ought to be the other way around they ought to close this down and open up the zoo."

Partial shutdown continues with no end in sight

"You know, the zoo is closed but the Senate is open. That ought to tell you something."

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