Talking Points: Dean Phillips Cosponsors Bill Meant To Prevent Future Shutdowns

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- We are just a few weeks removed from the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and another one could happen Friday.

House and Senate conferees have been working on a deal that would give President Trump far less than the $5.7 billion that he demanded for a southern border wall. The current figure that the House and Senate have agreed on for border security is $1.3 billion.

As the negotiations continue, there are also proposals to try and prohibit future shutdowns. One bill would protect federal workers and create disincentives for members of Congress and the president from allowing a shutdown to happen. It's called the Shutdown to End all Shutdowns Act.

Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips is a cosponsor and was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning.

"Those that impose these shutdowns on hardworking federal employees should at least be subject to the same consequences, which is a lack of pay, so it actually transfers that burden to members of both the House and Senate and the executive branch," Phillips said. "It forces members of Congress to be in Washington for daily quorum calls until things are settled."

And there are indications from the White House that the president is grudgingly going to support this latest compromise -- but the President also backed out of an apparent deal before the last shutdown. The question now is whether he will back out of another possible deal.