President Donald Trump has refused to negotiate with congressional Democrats until the government reopens, intensifying the 22-day shutdown over healthcare subsidies. The government shutdown, now in its 22nd day, has been stalled after a 12th Republican attempt to reopen the government was blocked by Senate Democrats. The vote, which concluded 54-46, saw Republicans fail to secure the 60 votes needed to advance the measure.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleagues have effectively stalled the Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for the 12th time. The latest vote took place with the support of a nearly 24-hour filibuster by Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, who took to the Senate floor in a marathon speech, beginning at 6:23 pm on Tuesday. Merkley, during his lengthy speech, criticized the Trump administration for its ‘overreach’ on immigration policies and for undermining the separation of powers. He concluded his remarks by 5 pm on Wednesday.
Despite the ongoing stalemate, Schumer and the Senate Democratic caucus continue to demand that there be a ‘real, ironclad’ deal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans remain firm in their stance, maintaining that there is no path forward until the government is reopened. Schumer has called for another meeting with Trump, seeking to bypass Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans.
While there have been informal discussions between Republicans and Democrats, no significant progress has been made in resolving the standoff. Schumer emphasized the need for a serious negotiation, stating that the situation is worsening for American citizens and that Trump should sit down with them to address the crisis.
Trump, however, has made it clear that he will not begin talks unless the government is back in operation. He has accused Democrats of ‘losing the negotiation’ and claimed that the proposed bill ‘was bad for our country.’ As of now, the situation remains unresolved, with both parties holding firm on their positions and the government shutdown continuing to affect millions of Americans.