--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: This message comes from Live Right, publishers of Jill Lepore's We the People, a bold new history of the U.S. Constitution. Congressman Jamie Raskin writes that Lepore has thrown us a lifeline. We the People, available now.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. There are just five more hours until the federal government potentially shuts down after Congress didn't reach a compromise.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: One short-term effort to fund the government has failed tonight, and another appears to be headed that way. Democrats want more funding for health care, but GOP Senate leader John Thune says now is not the time.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: And as I've said before, we're happy to sit down with them and talk about the concerns they have, the issues they have with, for example, the premium tax credits. But you got to do that. You can't do that in the context of a hostage situation.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden says Republican leaders refused to consider Democrats' requests for compromise.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: We want to work with people. We've been trying to work with people. We understand the consequences of what happens, but we've got to be met halfway.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: The Trump administration is blaming Democrats for the likely shutdown in messaging to federal employees. On the Department of Housing and Urban Development website a red banner warns quote the radical left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Unions representing federal employees have sued the Trump administration over its threats to fire federal employees if there's a government shutdown.
--:-- Host: Andrea Hsu: The lawsuit stems from a memo that the White House Office of Management and Budget sent to federal agencies last week. It told agencies to consider sending layoff notices to federal employees working on programs or activities that aren't consistent with the president's priorities in the event of a government shutdown.
--:-- Host: Andrea Hsu: The two unions behind the lawsuit together represent more than 800,000 federal employees. They argue that the threat of layoffs is, quote, an unlawful abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress.
--:-- Host: Andrea Hsu: They've asked a federal court in San Francisco to find that the Office of Management and Budget unlawfully exceeded its authority in issuing the memo and to invalidate actions that come from it.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: President Trump says the administration has reached a deal with Harvard over more than a billion dollars in federal funds.
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: NPR's Alyssa Nadwarni has more.
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: Trump told a room full of reporters at the White House the administration's in the final stages of a deal with the Ivy League school I guess we reached a deal with Harvard today so we see how that
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: All you have to do is paper it right Linda
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: Yes sir Paper it out
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: He referring there to Education Secretary Linda McMahon
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: When asked for details Trump caveated a bit, saying that they were getting, quote, very close to finalizing the terms.
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: He did say Harvard would pay $500 million and fund trade schools in exchange for the reactivation of federal research funding, and so that, quote, their sins are forgiven.
--:-- Host: Alyssa Nadwarni: Officials at Harvard have not commented on the deal.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Stocks closed up today. The S&P 500 closed up 27 points to 6,688. This is NPR News in Washington.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: An offshore earthquake with a magnitude 6.9 collapsed the walls of houses and buildings, killing at least 20 people in the Philippines.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: The quake cut off power and sent people scrambling out of homes in the darkness.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Officials said at least 14 people were killed in the hard-hit city of Bogo, and the death toll is expected to rise.
--:-- Host: Jeff London: A stage adaptation of the Apple TV Plus series Schmigadoon is headed to Broadway in the spring.
--:-- Host: Jeff London: The stage version was presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. last winter.
--:-- Host: Jeff London: Schmigadoon is a loving satirical look at Broadway musicals of the golden era the 1940s and 50s
--:-- Host: Jeff London: Schmigadoon a doom where lyrics by Cinco Paul the television series starred Keegan Key and Cecily Strong as a modern couple who get trapped in a town where everybody sings.
--:-- Host: Jeff London: Paul has reprised his role for the stage show produced by Lorne Michaels, which is yet to announce a cast and creative team.
--:-- Host: Jeff London: Schmigadoon opens on Broadway for a limited run beginning in April.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: The beloved children's series Reading Rainbow is returning after nearly 20 years.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: It'll now be on the KidZuko YouTube channel.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Celebrities like Adam Devine, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen will make appearances.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: Librarian Michael Threats will step in to host the role, into the host role, originally held by LeVar Burton.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: The reboot is co-produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media.
--:-- Host: Ryland Barton: I'm Rylan Barton. This is NPR News from Washington.
