The US Senate has rejected two bills to end the government shutdown, leaving no end in sight to the record-breaking closure of federal agencies.
The Republican legislation failed by 50-47 and the Democratic bill followed suit by 52-44. Both measures were long shots, needing 60 votes to pass.
Meanwhile, 800,000 federal workers who are struggling to cover their bills will miss another payday on Friday.
At 34 days with no end in sight, this is the longest shutdown in US history.
Six Republican defectors – including former White House candidate and Utah Senator Mitt Romney – voted for the Democratic bill. It would have reopened the government until 8 February.
One conservative Democrat backed the Republican measure, which would have provided the $5.7bn (£4.4bn) that President Donald Trump wants to build a southern border wall. It would also have temporarily shielded from deportation some US residents who entered the country without documentation as children.
Afterwards, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that he would only sign a bill if it included “a pro-rated down payment” on a border barrier.
But the Democratic leader of the US House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said the Republican president’s request was not reasonable.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and his Democratic counterpart, Chuck Schumer, held brief talks after the votes failed, but there was no sign of a breakthrough.
(BBC)