production exploring the history, traditions, and role of this uniquely american institution. >> please raise your right hand. >> january 2 at 8:00 p.m. eastern and pacific on c-span. us --jennifer shot joins jennifer shutt joins us. a deal that needs to come together. what is the latest on the state of the negotiations and who is doing that negotiating? guest: we know they been in conversation for months now about how to address border wall funding, whether they will do what .6 billion dollars or somewhere between that and $5 billion. it seems like right now we are in the final days heading into that deadline and there's confusion about who is supposed

to be talking to whom and when they may be getting together with staff to write legislative text and senator schumer basically said republicans are nowhere to be found where republicans are saying it's up to senate democrats and the white house to negotiate this so it seems like there might be crossed wires. host: who's doing the negotiating at this point? is this staff talking distaff? -- is this staff talking to staff? explain what's happening behind closed doors. guest: though staff talks continue between republicans and democrats, very in the weeds policy stuff as well as some whether the stuff 2020 census will be allowed to have citizenship questions. congressional leadership at this point in time.

host: the house does not come in this week until wednesday. are there tea leaves to be read in terms of a negotiation? guest: i don't think so just because appropriators and their staff are around and leadership is around. the people who need to be here for these conversations, these high-level talks, are here. you don't need right and file members who may not be on the appropriate special provisions committees possibly getting up to some mischief. host: what about the timing of this? even if a deal were to come together as soon as the house meets tomorrow, is there enough time to work through the process and get it signed by the president by midnight on friday? guest: if you want all seven of these final spending bills to get read out by the committees and make sure their language is correct and there's no typos that would cause any issues you need a couple days to do that. numbers generally want -- members generally want their

staff to read through the bill and have been briefed them. if we don't see some type of tentative agreement by wednesday afternoon, wednesday evening we are looking at either a very quick continuing resolution, one of those temporary funding extensions, or a partial government shutdown. host: is there any reliability that president trump would sign that? hasn't he grown down he wants the $5 billion or he won't sign? guest: one of the biggest problems lawmakers are facing now. president trump is really an uncertainty. they don't know what he may sign or agree to if they sent him some temporary spending bill. if he would veto one of these continuing resolutions that puts mitch mcconnell and speaker ryan in a position to see if they can override a veto or if they let the shutdown begin. host: what is your sense of talking to republicans about

their willingness to do that? rank-and-file republicans? guest: no one wants to discuss it at this point. everyone is talking around the question because it is politically divisive and problematic. host: we are talking about the shutdown showdown ride at midnight is the timeframe that the white house and congress has to come up with a spending bill or else there will be a partial government shutdown. if your questions and comments, phone lines, republicans, (202) 748-8001. democrats, (202) 748-8000. .ndependents, (202) 748-8002 as folks are calling in take us back to that white house meeting last week with chuck schumer nancy pelosi and the president and what that meeting did to the state of negotiations on this funding bill. guest: i have not gotten a good sense of whether that meeting help or hurt them. i think president trump and democratic leaders need to show their bases they were going to fight for their key priorities.

for president trump that is a border wall, something he promised on the campaign trail although he did say mexico would pay for it at the time. leaders schumer and polo see feel this money could be better spent on other programs so i think that meeting held to get everyone out there and show their respective parties they were fighting. in terms of actually working through negotiations and of the get help that all. host: do you think that is what both sides were planning to do in that meeting. you don't think they went into this thinking we could take care of this whole funding situation a week and a half early? guest: i think there was hope they would be able to get a real negotiation going and get some type of handshake agreement. when the white house pool was kept in the room so long i think they started to realize it would be more of a political reality show been a serious negotiation. host: did both sides know that

the pool was going to do that? guest: i don't actually know. host: we talked about it being a partial shutdown. that actually are still awaiting funding for , the department of agriculture, department of commerce, department of justice, homeland security, apartment estate, transportation, transportation, several smaller agencies. what is funded through next year? what is not worried about this deadline on friday. ? guest: the department of defense , department of labor, health and human services, education, army corps of engineers. the legislative branch. congress and their staff will not be impacted if there is a shutdown. host: what does a shutdown look like from your perspective right

now? these agencies to come up with their shutdown plans. can you paint a picture? guest: it's going to be agency by agency because there is exempt and nonexempt federal employees. anyone who is exempt needs to report to work. they just may not get paid on time depending on the length of the shutdown. department of homeland security i think roughly 90% of their staff was to work so depending on the length of the shutdown have tsatill going to doing airport screening. have tsa doing airport screening. but one of the things we would expect is when -- when there is some type of legislation to reopen the departments is almost always provision for back pay. host: for all those people considered nonessential. has that ever not happened? guest: i don't believe so. at least the more recent shutdowns.

host: about 420,000 employees of those agencies that would be impacted are considered essential exempted from the shutdown. you named a few of them. the fbi would also continue to work. the drug enforcement administration and others. we are talking about this deadline that is approaching. taking your questions and t.mments with jennifer shut theodore, from massachusetts, what is on your mind? caller: i'm just making a comment about building a wall. has never accomplished anyway of curtailing invasion. asked china. another thing is, if you go to dr. trump with a serious condition, he will put a band-aid on it and say that will do for now. the actual problem is never addressed. that is that central america as

a whole needs america to help it out of the situation that causes them to come to this country in the first place. that is my comment. thank you for accepting me. host: one of the agencies that would be impacted, the state department is on that list. the department that would deal with some of these relations issues. guest: a lot of state department staff are exempt so they will continue to work. the one of the interesting points the caller brought up that i think is key to this is the for security versus border wall debate that we've seen republicans and democrats haven't for months now. this is a real debate. several republicans don't think you need a physical structure. this a lot of discussion about technology and other aspects that are not a physical barrier that could enhance border

security. host: you talk about the history for the best how much agreement there has been in the past four we got to this point and the marker president trump as laid down? the omnibus had roughly $3.7 billion and everyone sort of pitched that as a down payment. they said you don't need the full $25 billion to build the wall right now. you can't get all of that done in one fiscal year so he accepted that at the time but i think he wants to see many more miles than he could get with a $1.6 billion which would be roughly 65 miles in the rio grande valley, or a continuing resolution which would keep that $1.3 billion level throughout 2019. host: mary is next. a democrat, good morning. caller: good morning. my question is, the federal

retirees, did they get their checks next month? host: retiree paychecks? guest: i believe so. are on autopilot. if anyone is concerned about social security, medicare, medicaid, that will not be impacted by this. host: that was a question we got yesterday. paula in d.c., a democrat, good morning. i am actually and hr director at a federal agency. , being involved in several shutdowns over the past you years with democratic and republican administrations it notly is a situation where only is it disruptive it is a

time of federal employees butuse -- it is not a waste it is a poor use of federal employees time ramping up to the shutdown that either occurs or does not occur, occurs for a day and being in human resources, it mya major upset to my work daily job in order to prepare for a shutdown. that is my comment and my two cents. host: our human resources staffers at the agency work in, are you considered exempted, essential versus nonessential? caller: we are considered nonessential. i work for a small agency. so my role is to come in if there is a shutdown to make sure

there is an orderly shutdown conducted. i am to be on call if necessary to return to work if needed to bring more people back. host: when you return to work how easy is it to restart to pick up where you are after shutdown? caller: i think it depends on the agency. the agency where i am now, i think it's a smoother transition -- previouses agencies where i worked it's cumbersomeeen very to reboot after a shutdown and get things going again. of course you have to put it takes a lot. another part of the level of effort that's involved in the

things. shutting down and coming back to reboot. is one of those issues that while a lot of the discussion area budget has been bashed discretionary budget has been issued -- the agencies that would be impacted by this. , lot of people have plans nonrefundable flights, children that expect their parents to be home on christmas morning. this is creating a lot of frustration within that section of the federal government. host: james in d.c., independent, good morning. caller: i'm also a federal employee. a sensual. i've been through shutdowns before. -- essential. i've been through shutdowns before. i think the wall is necessary. i'm not a republican. 7.7 billion people on the planet. the vast majority are poor.

we will have 10 billion people by 2050. securitytion on border is absolutely necessary for this country and i'm concerned when i see progressive left which is essentially an open borders position. the left says it's not but in fact when they push for abolition of ice or fighting for security they are essentially fighting for open borders. host: how much are you having conversations at the office about this issue about the wall itself? caller: people talk about the wall -- we do not discuss politics at work. i do not discuss politics at work. you know washington, we all do. this is not a pro trump crowd down here. i do not discuss politics at work.

host: anything you want to add? guest: not really. host: leroy is waiting. caller: first off, if congress , it does notaid affect them it affects the average worker. people seem to forget during trump's campaign he promised mexico would pay for the wall. so i understand why people -- why are they forgetting? this is something he said. when president obama got into the affordable care act they never met him down -- you said we get keep our doctor. known as holding president trump accountable for what he said, mexico will pay for the wall. if congress cannot get their paycheck there would be no shutdown. host: you mention the legislative branch spending bill

is funded through next year. has there been a shutdown recently were understood not get a paycheck? guest: i don't know. the shutdowns this year were pretty short. i don't particularly believe those were situations that overlap with the legislative ranch's pay schedule i had to double check. host: let's talk more about the legislative branches work. and of the year tax package is something we bring into the discussion. what's happening with that? is there a possibility that package might be worked into some sort of deal that goes with federal funding? guest: i think those they separate. this not enough time to negotiate both of those things in a way that both chambers and parties can agree with especially considering democrats will be taking the house in january. i don't think they want to see another republican tax package signed into law with days left in the session. host: you don't expect to see

provisionsrs for that are running out this year? guest: we could see tax extenders. i thought you were referring to house bills. not very familiar with the extenders package but i may have to do for on that. i've been focusing a lot on spending. host: within hours of a very important deadline on spending. just about five or 10 minutes left in this segment. mike is waiting in austin, texas. democrat. good morning. caller: thank you all for taking the call. i'm confused as usual but i'm also scared because the other day i heard john cornyn on the floor of the u.s. senate saying the prison reform packages based on the leadership in texas regarding prisons and i think i did not realize we had that.

i look at the prison systems and say here in texas we are basically -- we have to keep the prisons full because the private companies have to get paid and we have to do -- our entire criminal justice system is .ependent on these full prisons we also have our security system .ependent on drug trade all of money they are seizing in convolutedcking, my thinking will bore everyone. i think you have this border wall and need it in order to think keeping a stupid wall will keep 7 billion people out of the country. that is ludicrous.

host: we spent the first hour of our program talking about the first step back on the floor of the senate. is there any chance debate and final vote on that might be impacted by his negotiations on the spending bill that it could disrupt that legislation or other big hills coming at the end of the year? guest: it seems like following last night's procedural vote is enough support to get this through. i don't anticipate it overlapping. still in the negotiating phase. the criminal justice bill needs the floor votes. caller: good morning. my concern is the wall. i would like to see, why don't they just take half of what illegals caused tax paying

american citizens and fund half of it and it would take -- it would pay for it. , $100eve the numbers billion a year. let's take $50 billion out of that and pay for the wall. host: where do you go for your numbers on this? caller: i went to sheriff brown, contacted his office. 355 weeks in a row at 6.8 years. i asked portman when he got in office and it took him under 11 months. host: that is scary in ohio. i did was ask you who are you watching in the final days of these negotiations? if you could have a sit down with anyone who would it be to try to figure out with strike to go on? guest: the four corners of congressional leadership.

speaker ryan, leader pelosi, leader schumer and leader mcconnell. they have the final say. sometimes appropriations that will be in the room but they really have to reach the final agreement on this and i'm always curious if they get off on side topics in these negotiations or how they get to a final agreement. what the trade-offs are for each party. how they get president trump on board. host: if they were to come to a deal is there a rank-and-file member will i be able to trip up a deal before corners of congressional leadership comes up with? guest: at this point we are reaching a point where we have tiny concerns. to get legislation before the deadline on friday you need to go through unanimous consent which means anyone senator can object. we know who the typical problematic senators are.

host: one of you go ahead and --e guest:guest: we start checking in with senator rand paul and see what he thinks. we don't know whether or not there will be a continuing resolution or bills on the floor and whether he may have problems. then pushestch and into an hour-long shutdown. host: explain how that would work. have a clock starts ticking if they can't move through unanimous consent. guest: they have to move through cloture. hard.eally the 30 hour rule it's hard to .ay exact it can move a little less than that. based on a lot of things in the senate. host: -- the 30

hour middle, that is what we are. last night in the senate for the final vote. kevin, manassas, virginia. republican. caller: thank you for taking my call. the wall is a great take idea. there's no policy that stops illegal immigrants from coming to this country. build a moat, put alligators, they will just come to the border and apply for asylum for credible fear. everybody gets due process. you can't go the wallace in the policies and laws behind it. can't build of the wall unless you have policies and laws behind it. immigration reform. for years. businessr immigration for 20 years you must change the laws and the

policies. host: what are two ways you would change the laws? caller: you have to look at how asylum is processed. everybody gets due process. the credible fear interviews that we conduct, you really have to look at where they're coming from. is our failed nations. el salvador, guatemala, the information we get back is piecemeal at best. hard to adjudicate anything they say because they don't have the systems we have in place. do you trust the information you are getting? you have to change the way we conduct asylum. we also have to look at these applications and how we give them out. >> we are going to leave this discussion here but you can find it online at c-span.org. to the wilson center