Republicans presented the final bill to Democrats on Tuesday but could not pass the higher chamber to keep the government funded.
The first government shut down in nearly seven years began last Wednesday after Senate Democrats rejected a final effort by Republicans to remain in business. Previously, Senate Republicans denied Democrats’ bid to do the same on Tuesday afternoon, tanking the bill 47-53. Democrats previously said they had no plans to budge on health-care demands, and President Trump and Republicans were equally steadfast. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accused Republicans of “bullying” the Senate, and blamed President Trump for the shutdown.
The fight over the budget began with Democrats demanding an extension of health care subsidies set to expire for some under the Affordable Care Act. Democrats blamed President Trump’s recent funding cuts for insurance premiums spiking nationwide. Both President Trump and Vice President Vance said they were open to having negotiations, but only after the Senate agreed to fund the government.
Republicans, who control the House and the Senate, signaled plans for repeat votes as soon as early afternoon on Wednesday. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he “prays” Democrats “come to their senses”, blaming his Congressional colleagues for health care demands that President Trump and company had said they would be open to negotiation. Democrats remained lockstep and voted to shut down the government.
“President Trump’s behavior has become more erratic and unhinged,” Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. “Instead of negotiating a bipartisan agreement in good faith, he is obsessively posting crazed deepfake videos.” President Trump had met with Rep. Jeffries in the oval office in an effort to prevent the shutdown, while Sen. Schumer was not present.
When that failed, Vice President Vance said he and Republicans were ready to negotiate as soon as doors opened again.
During the final vote on Tuesday, Sen. Schumer reportedly rallied Democrats around the idea of shutting down the government as a way to torpedo agenda items of the Trump administration. Three Democrats, Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA) and Angus King (D-ME) bucked their party to vote to keep the government open. Schumer and 42 other Democrat Senators refused to budge.
Fetterman, who increasingly challenges his party, said he “wasn’t worried” about the political ramifications of voting in favor of the Republican-backed funding bill that would open the government. The Pennsylvania Senator called it the “core responsibility” of the Senate to keep the government funded at all times. Fetterman acknowledged feedback he received from constituents was mixed on his stance to side with Republicans.
Despite Speaker Johnson’s hopeful tone of reopening, the two sides are reportedly not close to an agreement, which would inevitably drag the shutdown on for an extended period of time. Republicans proposed a temporary continuing resolution to Democrats on the issue of health care subsidies but failed to advance the motion past the House.
