Government shutdown continues, Senate votes fail
The government remains closed over the weekend. The two Democrats and independents voted to end the closure, but a 54-44 vote shortened Republicans.
WASHINGTON – The federal government shutdown entered a new week on Sunday as Democrats delved further into medical demands that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to entertain them.
The final major moment in negotiations was to rule out the House until November 21, after Senate Democrats blocked the Republican bill for the fourth time on Friday.
Trump punished Democratic bases using the first three days of the closure and withheld around $26 billion in federal funds from 16 Democratic-led states and cities in New York and Chicago.
But the Trump administration has yet to launch widespread shootings of federal workers that the president has repeatedly threatened.
Approximately 750,000 federal employees, from national park workers to financial regulators, could get bored under the closure, withholding around $400 million in daily compensation, according to the Non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
Other workers in government services, such as military members and law enforcement, deemed “essential” will continue to work, but will not be paid until a transaction is reached.
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but it will hit 12% of staff and suspend marketing campaigns, according to agency closure plans.
Similarly, payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.
Around 750,000 federal workers are filled up amid the closure.
Democrats advocated fundraising bills to reopen the government, rebounding Medicaid cuts that Republicans passed this summer, expanding subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which is set to expire at the end of the year.
The White House called for Democrats to vote with Republicans to pass a clean bill to reopen government, saying Republicans will negotiate health policy before subsidies expire.
But Trump has not said whether he supports extended grants related to the Affordable Care Act, or the signature laws of former President Obama, which Republicans have long tried to dismantle.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, announced Friday that his lawmakers will leave town for another week and leave the Senate to resolve the government’s closure.
The move comes after Senate Democrats rejected a proposal to spend House.
The House was scheduled to return on October 7th, but the clerk announced in a short session that Johnson had extended what he called the “district work period” when lawmakers return to their hometown until October 13th.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has denounced Johnson’s decision. “Johnson and House Republicans are more interested in protecting the Epstein Files than protecting Americans,” he said.
-Bart Jansen
Contribution: USA Today Staff
