The Senate voted unanimously Thursday evening to provide back pay to federal employees furloughed as a result of the ongoing partial government shutdown, and President Trump indicated he would sign it. 

Coast Guard families told they can have garage sales to cope with government shutdown 

Employees of the U.S. Coast Guard who are facing a long U.S. government shutdown just received a suggestion: To get by without pay, consider holding a garage sale, babysitting, dog-walking or serving as a “mystery shopper.” The Coast Guard removed the tip sheet from the support program’s website after The Washington Post inquired about it. 

White House Considers Using Storm Aid Funds as a Way to Pay for the Border Wall   

President Trump traveled to the border on Thursday to warn of crime and chaos on the frontier, as White House officials considered diverting emergency aid from storm- and fire-ravaged Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and California to build a border barrier, perhaps under an emergency declaration. 

Airline safety ‘eroding’ as shutdown drags on 

Virtually every segment of the aviation industry — from airlines to airports — is ramping up pressure on lawmakers and the White House to reopen the government, suggesting that a prolonged shutdown could seriously harm passengers and business. 

The real toll of the volatile stock market: Americans’ retirement 

A Wall Street Journal analysis last year found that more than “40% of households headed by people aged 55 through 70 lack sufficient resources to maintain their living standard in retirement.” That’s a frightening statistic for a country watching around 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day, plagued with high debt levels and fewer younger workers to cover Social Security costs. A combination of societal and economic factors has created this increasingly serious situation.