Shutdown enters second week with no breakthrough in sight
The article reports that the U.S. government shutdown has entered it’s second week as lawmakers remain deadlocked over the federal budget. The Senate plans to vote on a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded at current levels until late November, but it faces challenges because Senate Majority leader John Thune (R-SD) needs at least five Democratic votes and has secured only three so far. On the House side, Republicans have stalled negotiations, with speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) accusing Democrats of using Obamacare subsidy extensions as a political tool to block funding.
Both Johnson and Thune have indicated willingness to negotiate on extending these subsidies, but only after Democrats support the CR to reopen the government, causing continued skepticism among democrats. Key Democratic senators, including John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Angus King, have shown some support for the measure, while others such as Gary Peters and Maggie Hassan are under pressure.
Polls show that the public blames Republicans slightly more than Democrats for the shutdown, although Democrats are also viewed as weak by a majority of voters. Communication between party leaders has been minimal, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries noting the last contact with Republicans was in late September.
Federal employees face missing their first paychecks soon, including active-duty military members who may not be paid starting October 15 if the impasse continues, increasing the urgency for a resolution.
Government shutdown enters second week with no breakthrough in sight
The government shutdown entered its second week on Monday as a solution to Washington’s gridlock over the federal budget continues to elude lawmakers.
The Senate is set to vote on a “clean” continuing resolution, or CR, on Monday evening that would keep the government funded at its current levels until late November. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) will need to pick up five Democratic votes to pass the measure. That means the stopgap spending bill will likely not advance, as only three lawmakers in the Democratic caucus have crossed the aisle, with no others announcing plans to join Republicans over the weekend.
On the House side, Republicans have refused to budge on hashing out another deal viewed more favorably by Democrats. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has argued Democrats have backed similar “clean” CRs keeping the government open over a dozen times in recent years. Johnson has argued that concerns that the latest measure doesn’t contain provisions extending Obamacare subsidies, which have led Democrats to block the CR, are nothing more than a political ploy designed to appease fringe elements in the party opposed to President Donald Trump’s GOP.
Johnson sent his conference home in an attempt to push Democrats to the table, saying the chamber had already done its job when it passed the funding bill and sent it to the Senate on Sept. 19. Members are on a “district work period” in their home states until Oct. 13. They are scheduled to return to Washington on Oct. 14.
Johnson and Thune have signaled a willingness to negotiate extending the Obamacare provisions — but only after Democrats get behind the CR and open the government. They couldn’t guarantee any specifics about what a deal on the provisions would look like, increasing Democrats’ skepticism.
In the Senate, Thune hopes more Democrats will cave to the pressure and join Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Angus King (I-ME) in backing the measure. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are under particular scrutiny.
Polls indicate voters cast slightly more blame on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, than Democrats for the shutdown. A new CBS poll showed 28% of Democratic voters believe that lawmakers standing by their positions is worth the shutdown, compared to just 23% of Republicans. Still, Democrats aren’t perceived as blameless, with the party being described by 64% of respondents as “weak.” In comparison, 40% of voters used the word to describe the Republican Party.
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House Democrats plan to hold a virtual meeting Monday evening to address the matter, as they continue to hold fast against Republicans’ hopes of passing the CR. There has been little communication between leaders of the two parties, according to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). He said on Sunday during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press that the last time he spoke with Republican leaders was in a White House meeting with Trump in late September.
As the stalemate continues, government workers hope it will be resolved by Oct. 15, the day active-duty military members may miss their first check. Most federal workers will miss their first paycheck on Friday if the shutdown isn’t resolved.
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