On first day in power, House Democrats challenge Trump to end shutdown

The White House on Thursday issued a veto threat against both parts of the Democratic legislation. Thursday marked the first day of divided government in Washington since Trump took office in January 2017, as Democrats took control in the House from his fellow Republicans, who remain in charge of the Senate. The 2019-2020 Congress convened with roughly a quarter of the federal government closed, affecting 800,000 employees, in a shutdown triggered by Trump’s demand last month for the money for a U.S.-Mexican border wall – opposed by Democrats – as part of any legislation funding government agencies.