(The Center Square) – The federal government partially shut down early Wednesday after U.S. Senators failed to pass a funding stopgap Tuesday evening. Democrats withheld the votes necessary for Republicans’ Continuing Resolution to pass, triggering the shutdown at 12:01 a.m.
It’s the first time in six years that lawmakers have let money for federal agencies lapse.
“This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all to the American people,” U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told lawmakers after the 55-45 vote. “A shutdown means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”
Republicans’ CR, which already passed the House, would have extended current government funding levels until Nov. 21. This would buy lawmakers time to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. It also included $30 million for additional lawmaker security and $58 million for U.S. Supreme Court judges and members of the executive branch.
Despite the nonpartisan nature of the bill, almost all Democrats voted against the CR because it neglected to address the upcoming expiration of the enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credit.
Democrats’ counter-proposal – which never passed the House and also failed to pass the Senate Tuesday evening – included health care-related policy riders costing up to $1.4 trillion. Democrats argued that by rejecting those policy proposals, Republicans were choosing to “gut” health care and shut the government down.
“I just voted NO on the Republican funding bill that does NOTHING to address premiums more than doubling next year,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., posted on X. “Republicans REFUSED to negotiate with Democrats and now they’re forcing a shutdown rather than working with us to fix the health care crisis THEY created.”
Only Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine, (who caucuses with Democrats) voted for both the Democratic and Republican CRs. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted no on both.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that “about 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day” during the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation totaling $400 million.
Thousands of those workers could be permanently furloughed, given that the Trump administration has instructed federal agencies to consider eliminating certain positions during a shutdown, consistent with applicable law.
The Senate is set to vote again on Republicans’ CR Wednesday morning.
“Democrats’ counter-proposal – which never passed the House and also failed to pass the Senate Tuesday evening – included health care-related policy riders costing up to $1.4 trillion. Democrats argued that by rejecting those policy proposals, Republicans were choosing to “gut” health care and shut the government down.”
Democrats never mentioned that the additional $1.4 Trillion for the health care-related policy riders WAS TO PROVIDE FREE HEALTH CARE for the 8 MILLION unlawful illegal immigrants that they the Democrats imported. U.S. citizens have to struggle to pay for their own health care insurance. But the Democrats want 1.4 Trillion dollars to give their 8 million illegal immigrants health insurance FREE at taxpayer’s expense. 🙁 🙁 🙁
8 million illegals? MORE like 28 million!!
We’re not paying for healthcare for Illegals, now matter how much you lie and try to mislead the American people.
Let them wave their Mexican flags in Mexico !!
You mean not even if the democrat party’s news media promotes the democrat lies? That usually works for the dolts.
To this treasonous self-righteous, liberal lying Democrat Party, their supporters and their media/political propaganda outlets. Our U.S. Constitution, Laws, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History are all irrelevant. If the Democrats or their journalists do not WANT to believe them, or they disagree with them. Democrats and their rag journalists will just make up their own, laws, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History to fit what they WANT to believe or fits into the Con or Deception that they are running at the time.