Reid, McConnell still at odds over government spending

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans and Democrats remain at an impasse over spending in their struggle to end a partial government shutdown and avoid hitting the federal debt limit in just four days.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have taken charge in trying to end the crises. However, they failed to break the stalemate in talks today.

McConnell insists a solution is readily available, referring to a proposal from a bipartisan group of 12 senators that would re-open the government and fund it at current levels for six months while raising the debt limit through Jan. 31.

Two Democratic senators - Dick Durbin of Illinois and Carl Levin of Michigan - made floor speeches today denouncing Republican colleagues. They said the GOP has stood in the way of efforts to legislate an end to the political fight.

Sunday marks the 13th day of a federal shutdown that continues to idle 350,000 government workers and curtail a wide range of government services.

More ominously, Thursday draws another day closer. That's when the Obama administration warns that the U.S. will deplete its borrowing authority and risk an unprecedented federal default.

Economists say a default could send shockwaves throughout the U.S. and global economies.

DC crowd pushes through barriers to WWII memorial

A crowd has converged on the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, pushing through barriers to protest the memorial's closing under the government shutdown.

WTOP Radio reports that Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas were among those who gathered Sunday morning, along with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Cruz says President Barack Obama is using veterans as pawns in the shutdown.

The memorial has become a symbol of the bitter fight between Democrats and Republicans over who is at fault since the shutdown began.

On Sunday morning, a protest by truckers converged with a veterans march at the World War II Memorial. Participants cut the links between metal barriers at the National Park Service property and pushed them aside.

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barack obama, john boehner, republicans, obamacare, health care, congress, government shutdown, furloughs, democrats, soldiers, politics

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