Pelosi Wants To Postpone State Of The Union Until Gov’t Reopens

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks with reporters about Democratic objections to the GOP agenda, Thursday, March 30, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wrote to President Trump on Wednesday seeking to reschedule his State of the Union address until after the government has reopened.

Pelosi stopped short of disinviting the President to deliver the address, which is scheduled for Jan. 29.

“Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government reopens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has reopened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th,” Pelosi wrote.

The speaker noted that the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security are tasked with providing security and protection for the high-profile event, but “have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs.”

The partial government shutdown, which has affected about 800,000 federal employees, is now the longest in history. Trump has refused to back down on his request for $5.7 billion for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, a demand Democrats won’t accede to.

Read her letter:

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