The move came despite mounting pressure following the Trump administration’s warning of mass firings, announced over the weekend by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought. The administration has argued that the partial shutdown cannot continue without significant spending reforms, while Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have insisted on preserving key funding priorities.
One potential crisis was eased, however, after President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to reallocate funds to ensure that military service members receive their paychecks on schedule Oct. 15, even as broader government operations remain suspended, Fox News noted.-That said, another payday is approaching – so far, unfunded – for Senate staffers.
Both parties remain entrenched in the same positions that triggered the government shutdown earlier this month. Negotiations continue, but so far no breakthrough has been reached that either side is prepared to accept, Fox noted.
Senate Democrats are pushing for an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies ahead of the Nov. 1 open enrollment period. They argue that without congressional action, millions of Americans who rely on the tax credits will face sharp premium increases.
President Donald Trump, however, has shown no indication of conceding to those demands. He reiterated Republicans’ position that Democrats are seeking to reverse $1.5 trillion in spending cuts enacted under what he has called the “big, beautiful bill.”
The White House also criticized Democrats for attempting to restore funding for NPR and PBS while diverting new funds toward programs benefiting undocumented immigrants.
Trump, in particular, honed in on Schumer.
“I don’t want to bore you with the fact that Schumer said 100 times, ‘You should never close our government,’” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But Schumer is a weakened politician. I mean, he’s going to finish his career as a failed politician, as a failed politician. He’s allowed the radical left to take over the Democrat Party.”
Senate Republicans have indicated they are willing to negotiate on the issue of expiring health care subsidies — but only after the government reopens. GOP lawmakers say reforms to the Affordable Care Act program should be discussed as part of a broader appropriations package, not as a condition for ending the shutdown.
For now, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appears determined to stick with his strategy of repeatedly bringing the House-passed short-term continuing resolution (CR) to the Senate floor. The measure would extend government funding temporarily while longer-term spending negotiations continue.
“Democrats like to whine that Republicans aren’t negotiating, but negotiation, Mr. President, is what you do when each side has a list of demands and you need to meet in the middle,” Thune said on the Senate floor. “Republicans, as I and a lot of other people pointed out, haven’t put forward any demands. Only Democrats have made demands. And by the way, very expensive demands.”
Schumer argued that the repeated attempts underscore the need for Republicans to engage in bipartisan negotiations rather than continuing to push what he called a “dead-end” proposal.
“That means, like it or not, the Republican leader needs to work with Democrats in a bipartisan way to reopen the government, just as we did when we passed 13 CRs when I was majority leader,” he said.
Schumer and Democrats have said that Republicans can “reopen the government” anytime they want, but at the same time, they are also refusing to go along with the current measure unless they get their way – a fight the minority party tends not to win.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine, have broken ranks with Schumer to vote for the bill. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who has voted with Republicans on the same legilsation each time, did not vote Tuesday night.
