The US federal government is on the brink of a shutdown as of late Tuesday after Democrats and Republicans again blocked each other’s funding plans in the Senate, underscoring the depth of the partisan standoff.
On a 55-45 vote, the GOP proposal to extend funding until November 21 fell short of the 60 votes needed, effectively guaranteeing a shutdown from 12:01 am (local time), Wednesday.
Republicans also blocked the Democrats’ version, which sought to extend funding until the end of October while adding over $1 trillion in health care spending , in a 47-53 vote.
The Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to begin implementing shutdown plans following the failed votes, according to news agency AP.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face furloughs or layoffs, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that around 750,000 employees could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.
Senate majority leader John Thune accused Democrats of forcing a showdown. “The Democrats' far-left base and far-left senators have demanded a showdown with the president,” he said, warning that Americans would bear the consequences, as per the New York Times .
Democrats, however, insisted their demands—including extending Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing cuts to Medicaid and other health programs—were essential.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer warned, “If the president were smart, he'd move heaven and earth to fix this health care crisis right away, because Americans are going to hold him responsible when they start paying $400, $500, $600 a month more on their health insurance”.
President Trump appeared to welcome the prospect of a shutdown. He threatened to use it to “cut vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like”, later adding that “a lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” including laying off federal workers who are Democrats.
Tensions further escalated after Trump posted an AI-generated video mocking Democratic leaders with distorted voices and caricatures. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded by sharing a photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein , captioned, “This is real.”
With both sides entrenched, the stalemate left little hope for a resolution before the deadline, setting the stage for the first government shutdown in nearly seven years.
On a 55-45 vote, the GOP proposal to extend funding until November 21 fell short of the 60 votes needed, effectively guaranteeing a shutdown from 12:01 am (local time), Wednesday.
Republicans also blocked the Democrats’ version, which sought to extend funding until the end of October while adding over $1 trillion in health care spending , in a 47-53 vote.
The Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to begin implementing shutdown plans following the failed votes, according to news agency AP.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face furloughs or layoffs, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that around 750,000 employees could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.
Senate majority leader John Thune accused Democrats of forcing a showdown. “The Democrats' far-left base and far-left senators have demanded a showdown with the president,” he said, warning that Americans would bear the consequences, as per the New York Times .
Democrats, however, insisted their demands—including extending Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing cuts to Medicaid and other health programs—were essential.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer warned, “If the president were smart, he'd move heaven and earth to fix this health care crisis right away, because Americans are going to hold him responsible when they start paying $400, $500, $600 a month more on their health insurance”.
President Trump appeared to welcome the prospect of a shutdown. He threatened to use it to “cut vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like”, later adding that “a lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” including laying off federal workers who are Democrats.
Tensions further escalated after Trump posted an AI-generated video mocking Democratic leaders with distorted voices and caricatures. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded by sharing a photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein , captioned, “This is real.”
With both sides entrenched, the stalemate left little hope for a resolution before the deadline, setting the stage for the first government shutdown in nearly seven years.
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