White House Considers Diverting Billions In Storm, Wildfire Disaster Funding To Build Wall As Shutdown Continues

The New York Times: 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. In a sign of growing unease about the partial government shutdown, some Senate Republicans came off the sidelines to hash out a deal that would reopen the government as Congress worked toward a broader agreement tying wall funds to protection for some undocumented immigrants and other migrants. (Tackett and Hirschfeld Davis, 1/10)

The Washington Post: Trump Administration Lays Groundwork To Declare National Emergency To Build Wall
The president and members of his administration have been depicting a humanitarian and public safety crisis at the border, focusing on drugs flowing into the United States and violence by unauthorized immigrants. There was a significant uptick in border apprehensions in 2018, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, especially of immigrant families, but border apprehensions remain much lower than the high levels seen in the 1980s through the 2000s. Asked about a timetable for a national emergency declaration, the president said he would see how it goes with Congress. (Werner, Dawsey, DeBonis and Kim, 1/10)

Los Angeles Times: Trump Vows He Will 'Probably' Declare National Emergency If Congress Doesn’t OK Wall Money
Trump has received conflicting advice about declaring an emergency from administration aides and friends outside of Washington. Some view it as an effective way out of the prolonged stalemate that would still show the president’s supporters that he continues to fight to achieve his signature campaign promise. Other conservatives, however, have cautioned that declaring a national emergency to bypass a stubborn Congress would set a dangerous precedent, one that could backfire on Republicans in the future should Democrats retake the presidency and attempt to fund other initiatives without legislative approval. (Stokols and Hennessy-Fiske, 1/10)

Kaiser Health News: Federal Shutdown Mostly Spares Health Coverage, But Other Issues Loom 
As the partial government shutdown drags on, about 800,000 federal employees who work for the shuttered agencies — and their families — are facing the reality of life without a paycheck. And those workers need to consider a host of other related issues as they attempt to make ends meet. (Appleby, 1/11)

Politico: FDA Looks To Restart Safety Inspections For Risky Foods Amid Shutdown
The FDA is working to restore some food-safety inspections for products deemed high-risk, such as seafood and raw fruit, that have been suspended or delayed because of the government shutdown. "We’re taking steps to expand the scope of food safety surveillance inspections we’re doing during the shutdown to make sure we continue inspecting high risk food facilities," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Wednesday in a thread on Twitter. (Evich, 1/10)

Politico: Survivors Of Domestic Violence, Child Abuse Could Be Hit Next By Shutdown
Survivors of domestic violence, child abuse and a slew of other crimes could be next to feel the squeeze of the partial government shutdown. Shelters across the country are bracing for federal funds to dry up in the coming weeks. The Justice Department has been warning the state agencies and nonprofits that run them that it will only be able to process funding requests until Jan. 18. Justice is one of nine departments shuttered by the dispute over funding for President Donald Trump's border wall. (Wermund, 1/10)

The Associated Press: Shutdown Suspends Federal Cleanups At US Superfund Sites
The government shutdown has suspended federal cleanups at Superfund sites around the nation and forced the cancellation of public hearings, deepening the mistrust and resentment of surrounding residents who feel people in power long ago abandoned them to live among the toxic residue of the country's factories and mines. "We are already hurting, and it's just adding more fuel to the fire," says 40-year-old Keisha Brown, whose wood-frame home is in a community nestled among coking plants and other factories on Birmingham's north side. (Knickmeyer and Chandler, 1/11)

Politico Pro: Financial Conflicts Stall Trump HHS Nominee
The nomination of a Minnesota economist picked two years ago to be HHS’ top policy adviser has expired, and he has told colleagues that he no longer expects to be confirmed amid questions about his financial disclosures, say five people with knowledge of the situation. Stephen Parente, a University of Minnesota professor and a top Republican health policy consultant with industry ties, was nominated by President Donald Trump in April 2017 to be the HHS assistant secretary overseeing planning and evaluation. (Diamond, 1/10)