Senate Democrats have continued to reject a GOP-led stopgap funding bill for the 13th time this week, leaving the government shutdown in a precarious legal and operational limbo. The proposed funding patch, which would keep federal operations running through Nov. 21, fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed to pass, with Democrats voting 54-45 against it.
Despite the escalating consequences of the shutdown, including potential food aid cuts and military pay delays, Democratic leaders have signaled no immediate change in their stance. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for bipartisanship on healthcare, asserting that without agreement on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, the party will not support any new funding. However, individual Democrats, including Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman, as well as Independent Angus King, broke ranks to support the funding bill, highlighting the internal division within the party.
The American Federation of Government Employees has raised its voice in the ongoing debate, urging an immediate resolution to the shutdown and calling for a clean stopgap bill. While some Democrats have expressed willingness to consider legislation funding programs like SNAP, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that this is unlikely to materialize in the short term. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to press for a resolution, with some suggesting that maintaining the current situation might be the only way to push Democrats to act.
With the shutdown nearing its one-month mark, the political stakes have never been higher, and the standoff has forced both parties to confront the human toll of the impasse. As the clock ticks down, the Senate must either find a way to break the deadlock or face the potential for worsening consequences that could affect millions of American citizens.