For the 10th time, Senate Democrats have blocked a Republican-led effort to reopen the federal government, virtually guaranteeing that the ongoing shutdown — now in its 16th day — will stretch well into next week.
After a short three-day session, lawmakers are once again leaving Washington for the weekend without a resolution, as negotiations between Republicans and Democrats have stalled and partisanship continues to dominate the Capitol.
GOP Pushes to Reopen Government
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) remains committed to bringing up the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) for repeated votes. The measure would fund the government through November 21, temporarily ending the shutdown while longer-term budget discussions continue.
“We’re willing to talk about everything else they want to discuss,” Thune said. “But that can’t happen while they’re holding the federal government, our troops, air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and Border Patrol officials hostage. Open up the government first.”
While some Republicans have floated the idea of setting a new end date for the CR, such a change would require the House — currently out of session for nearly a month — to reconvene and pass a revised version.
Democrats Hold Firm Over Healthcare Dispute
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) and Senate Democrats continue to reject the GOP’s proposal, insisting that any deal must also address expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies — a key sticking point in negotiations. Schumer has refused to discuss details publicly, saying Republicans have shown “no willingness to negotiate.”
“The bottom line is, they won’t even negotiate with us,” Schumer said. “We need to address the crisis that is afflicting the American people.”
Meanwhile, Republicans accuse Democrats of using the shutdown as political leverage. “Every day this goes on, the problems get worse for federal workers and ordinary Americans,” Thune said. “Chuck Schumer may think this helps politically, but that’s not the experience of the American people.”
Negotiations Grind to a Halt
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R–Okla.) acknowledged that bipartisan talks have all but stopped. “We’re not really working on a subsidy proposal to show Democrats,” Mullin said. “If we don’t have something by Christmas, it becomes a political issue — and healthcare, unfortunately, is always political.”
With the November 1 open enrollment date for federal healthcare programs approaching, both parties are under pressure to find common ground — but prospects for compromise appear dim.
Split Votes and Rare Bipartisan Support
A handful of Democrats continue to side with Republicans on key procedural votes. Sens. John Fetterman (D–Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D–Nev.), and Angus King (I–Maine) once again broke ranks with their caucus to support the GOP’s continuing resolution.
Fetterman reiterated his stance after the vote: “It was wrong to shut it down in March, and it’s wrong now. Open up the government first, and then we can figure out everything else.”
What Happens Next
Thune has also scheduled a procedural vote on the Senate’s defense spending bill, which would fund military paychecks and essential defense operations. However, it remains uncertain whether Democrats will back the measure, with some senators saying they were not given details about what Republicans planned to bring to the floor.
For now, the federal shutdown continues, leaving hundreds of thousands of government workers unpaid and key services disrupted nationwide. With both parties entrenched, Washington appears headed for another week of political gridlock — and no clear path to reopening the government in sight.
