Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : $800 Million Seen as Shutdown Cost

Last week’s six-day partial shutdown of the federal government could cost taxpayers as much as $800 million, the White House said. And President Clinton told the federal work force in an open letter that he cannot promise that the running budget fight with the Republican Congress will not lead to another mass furlough. Clinton noted that the temporary agreement under which most of the government is now operating expires on Dec. 15. The Treasury Department said up to $400 million in revenue was lost by the lack of enforcement action by the Internal Revenue Service over a four-day period, the White House added.