The U.S. Senate remains deeply divided on resolving the ongoing government shutdown, with neither side willing to compromise. As the crisis enters its seventh day, lawmakers have failed to secure a sixth vote to reopen the government, with both parties entrenched in their positions. Senate Democrats are seeking an agreement on the extension of ObamaCare tax credits as a condition for supporting a government reopening, while Republicans argue that such negotiations should occur only when the government is operational. A new White House memo has added to the uncertainty, raising the possibility that up to 750,000 nonessential federal workers could be denied back pay, despite a 2019 law signed by President Trump that mandated such compensation. This has sparked concern among lawmakers, with Republicans warning that the memo could worsen tensions with furloughed workers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized House Republicans for not being in session, framing the issue as a broader failure of leadership. Meanwhile, some Senate Republicans, including Thom Tillis and Shelley Moore Capito, have expressed disapproval of the memo, calling it a poor message to send to unpaid workers.
When asked if it was the White House’s position whether federal workers should be paid back pay, President Donald Trump said,