Young, Donnelly Want To Avoid Government Shutdown

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) are headed back to Washington, D.C. as Congress and the White House work to avert a government shutdown.

A federal funding measure approved last year will expire Friday night. Without anything to replace it, a partial shutdown of federal agencies will begin Saturday.

Donnelly says he was part of a small group of senators that helped end the last shutdown.

“And we have to because we want to make sure that veterans can get good health care, that Social Security checks are delivered on time, that the basic functions of our society move forward,” Donnelly says. “And so that’s what we’re going to try to make sure gets done.”

Reports say White House officials want funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall included in whatever spending measure Congress passes.

Young says that border security must be emphasized.

“What that looks like is unclear. We could have a layered system, which is what most of the experts tell us could more effectively secure the southern border. I’m not sure that has to happen immediately,” Young says.

Young says people didn’t send him to Congress to shut down the government and he’ll do everything he can to prevent that.