The US Senate voted for the fifth time on Monday to approve spending bills which would restart the government after Democratic and Republican competing bills were defeated. Both bills were unable to obtain the minimum 60 votes required to pass, with the Democratic-controlled bill first falling short at 45-50 and the Republican alternative failing at 52-42. Donald Trump had threatened repeatedly with massive layoffs if another vote failed earlier in the day, as thousands of federal workers were sent home without pay or forced to work without pay when funding for their agencies lapsed five days ago.
Immediately after the shutdown vote, Trump went online to fault Democrats for closing down the government and stated that he is more than willing to deal with Democrats on their failed health policies or anything else, but they first have to open the government. Trump wrote on his Truth Social site that Democrats need to open the government tonight. Democrats have resisted backing the GOP-sponsored measure because it undermines medical access for lower-income Americans, and they want any funding bill to prevent health insurance subsidies for lower-income Americans from expiring.
Democrats and Republicans Accuse One Another of Shutdown
Democrats are seeking to roll back the Trump administration’s reductions in the Medicaid health program and prevent healthcare subsidies from expiring. The Republicans have insisted on blaming Democrats for closing down the government to give medical care to illegal immigrants, which Democratic leaders deny. The Republicans also stated they will tackle the healthcare matter in stand-alone legislation once the government is reopened. At the Oval Office on Monday, Trump stated that he was in negotiations with Democratic leadership on potential healthcare provisions and was discussing good things regarding healthcare.
But Senate Democrats’ leader Chuck Schumer posted on the social media site X that this isn’t the case, disagreeing with Trump’s statement on continuing negotiations. The White House warned since last Wednesday’s start of the shutdown that permanent terminations of federal workers were certain to happen. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated that on Monday, stating the Office of Management and Budget was already in discussions with agencies that would be required to lay off people and that if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unfortunate reality.
Both Parties Say the Other Side Is Negotiating in Bad Faith
Leavitt also urged Democratic legislators to drop their demands, stating there is nothing to negotiate and to reopen the government. In individual interviews on Sunday with NBC’s Meet the Press, House’s senior Democrat Hakeem Jeffries and senior Republican Speaker Mike Johnson both fingered the other party for the ongoing standoff. Jeffries accused Republicans of dishonestly claiming Democrats are attempting something in negotiations because they are losing the court of public opinion.
But Johnson indicated that Democrats were not sincere and negotiating in bad faith, asserting they’re doing this to gain political cover. New polling by CBS, the BBC’s US news partner, discovered that Americans disapprove of both parties’ management of the shutdown, with Trump and congressional Republicans being held slightly more accountable for it. The shutdown now moves into its sixth day with no end in sight as the two sides continue to remain entrenched in their positions.
FAQs
- How long has the US government been shut down?
The government shutdown began last Wednesday and is now on its sixth day.
- Why can’t Congress pass a funding bill?
Democrats insist on healthcare provisions and Republicans on a clean funding bill with no healthcare issues.
- How many votes are required to pass the spending bill?
Any spending bill requires 60 votes in the 100-member Senate in order to pass.
- Will federal workers be laid off permanently?
White House indicates permanent firings are near if shutdown persists, but does not want them.
- Who do Americans hold responsible for the shutdown?
Surveys indicate that both parties were blamed unfavorably, but Trump and Republicans were blamed a little more.
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