IMF Urges US Congress, Executive Branch To Work Together To End Shutdown - Spokesperson

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is calling on both the US Congress and the executive branch to work together to pass a funding bill to end the ongoing partial government shutdown to avert a negative economic impact, IMF Communications Department Director Gerry Rice said in a press briefing on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2019) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is calling on both the US Congress and the executive branch to work together to pass a funding bill to end the ongoing partial government shutdown to avert a negative economic impact, IMF Communications Department Director Gerry Rice said in a press briefing on Thursday.

"Perhaps what I would say is the longer the shutdown is in effect, the bigger effect impact it will have on the economy," Rice said. "We encourage the US authorities in both Congress and the executive branch to work together in spirit of compromise to pass a funding bill�that can reopen the Federal offices."

The shutdown has continued for nearly four weeks, making it the longest closure of the federal government in US history.

"It's clearly still very early days in terms of making an economic assessment of the impact of the shutdown," Rice said. "We are monitoring that situation."

The current shutdown arose amid a standoff between President Donald Trump and his Republican majority in the Senate, and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and has now continued for nearly four weeks making it the longest government shutdown in US history. The sticking point has been Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to fund a wall along the southern border with Mexico, and Democrats' refusal to approve it.