The U.S. government has been shut down since Oct. 1, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Two weeks later, both the Republicans and Democrats show little sign of compromise.
Senate Votes On Government Shutdown
On Oct. 14, the Senate rejected the House-passed stopgap funding bill for an eighth time, a bill that would have funded the federal government through Nov. 21, NBC News reports. Another vote is scheduled for Oct. 15, according to the outlet.
Republicans argue that Senate Democrats should approve the short-term funding measure to reopen the government and address policy differences separately, while Democrats insist that any funding bill must include provisions to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have accused Democrats of holding the government “hostage” to their healthcare priorities.
On the other hand, Democrats see the debate over healthcare funding as a strategic opportunity to unite their party after the 2024 election and reset the narrative ahead of the 2026 cycle, according to Ian Russell, former national political director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, per NBC News.
“It feels like both parties are digging their trenches and preparing for a long conflict,” Russell said. “This is Washington, so things can obviously change very quickly. But you get the sense from leadership suites on both sides that both parties feel like they’re either maximizing their strengths or certainly not exposing themselves to serious vulnerabilities.”
According to NBC News, the Senate vote on the government shutdown was 49-45 against the GOP-backed bill, which required 60 votes to pass. Republicans have not gained support from any additional Democrats to overcome the filibuster, leaving the impasse unresolved.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, warned that the country could be heading toward one of its longest shutdowns, per NBC News. He has refused to negotiate with Democrats, stating that the House bill contains no partisan provisions.
“I don’t have anything to negotiate. …We did not load up the temporary funding bill with any Republican priorities or partisan priorities at all. I don’t have anything that I can take off of that document to make it more palatable for them,” Johnson said, according to the outlet.
He added, “So all I am able to do is come to this microphone every day, look right under the camera and plead with the American people… to call your Senate Democrats and ask them to do the right thing. We’re not playing games; they’re playing a game.”
Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, have criticized the shutdown’s impact on federal workers, calling Republican tactics “cruel.”
“For the Republicans, cruelty is the point,” he said, according to the outlet. “And the fact that they are celebrating, meaning the extremist, the extreme MAGA Republicans, the fact that they’re celebrating firing hard-working federal employees doesn’t strengthen their position with the American people. It weakens it because the American people don’t accept that kind of cruel and callous behavior.”
Trump and his administration have taken some measures to address immediate impacts, including redirecting $300 million in tariff revenue to keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) running. It is also making sure active-duty service members receive their pay on time, AP News reports.
Meanwhile, according to NBC News, hundreds of thousands of civilian federal workers have already been affected by partial paychecks, with a full paycheck expected to be missed on Oct. 24. Democratic lawmakers from Maryland and Virginia have condemned the laying off of roughly 4,000 federal workers through a reduction in force, calling it unjust and unsustainable, the outlet previously reported. Additionally, many government contractors are not getting paychecks and face the added burden of not receiving backpay.
The standoff continues as both parties remain unable to agree on government funding. NBC News reports that public opinion has largely blamed Republicans and former President Trump for the stalemate.
