Image Credit: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers / Contributor / Getty Images 
Debate in the Senate to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown amounted to nothing on Friday—the fifth time talks have failed.
A mere 84 Senators appeared in the chamber to vote.
The vote failed to clear a 60-vote threshold or even a simple majority.
Forty-six Republicans were joined by Democrat John Fetterman to vote in favor of funding DHS, while 37 Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, said no.
“My impression, at least up until now, is this is all about politics for Chuck Schumer and the Democrats,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after the vote.
“The far-left base is demanding, again, that they fight the president.”
The DHS shutdown has now lasted 35 days, and politicians from both sides agree on one thing: they’re a long way from agreement yet.
Large numbers of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have now begun calling in sick or quitting as they continue to go unpaid.
Around 10% of staff are currently off the job nationwide. At JFK, New York, the figure is close to 30%.
Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan led talks with top Democrats ahead of the vote, and is expected to continue negotiations with them.
“The White House outlined an entire list of bipartisan solutions,” added Republican Sen. John Barrasso.
“They include expanding the use of body cameras for officers and making IDs for officers clearly visible. Democrats have rejected all our good faith offers. They’ve rejected bipartisan solutions.”
Democrats say they’re willing to agree to funding TSA so long as Immigration and Customs Enforcement—which Schumer described as “out of control”—is not funded.
