After another failed vote, government shutdown continues into weekend
The federal government will remain shut down heading into the weekend after the Senate failed to advance a plan to reopen for the seventh time. On Thursday, Senators failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to reopen.
The latest Republican bill fell short in the Senate, 54 to 45, with four senators — John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; and Angus King, I-Maine — crossing the aisle.
Without 60 votes, Washington heads into the weekend with the federal government still closed. There are no plans for the Senate to return until Tuesday afternoon, meaning the shutdown will last at least two weeks.
What are Senators disagreeing on?
The reason for the holdup remains unchanged.
Republicans accuse Democrats of holding the government hostage, refusing to pass a “clean” bill that funds agencies without add-ons.
Democrats, meanwhile, claim Republicans are blocking a crucial extension of Obamacare subsidies that millions rely on. They say if it’s not extended, it will cause premiums to skyrocket.
Trump’s comments
On Thursday, President Donald Trump continued his criticisms against Democrats saying, “You have Democrats that they’ve lost their way. They have no leadership. We don’t even know who to deal with over there … Republicans have voted repeatedly to pass a clean, nonpartisan bill to reopen government at the same funding levels.”
The president said that as the shutdown drags on, he will make cuts to “Democrat programs.”
“They wanted to do this, so we’ll get a little taste of their own medicine,” Trump said
What does that mean for the public?
A continued government shutdown means members of the military are guaranteed to miss their paycheck on Oct. 15. It also means government workers who have been furloughed will remain without work.
The shutdown also puts more pressure on states, which have had to tap into their own funds to keep National Parks running.
NBC News reported Utah and West Virginia have funding streams in place to keep Zion and New River Gorge parks operational amid the shutdown. Tennessee is working to keep the Great Smoky Mountains National Park open, and Colorado is looking into steps to keep some of its National Park Service attractions open.
Last month, the National Park Service said it would keep all open-air facilities open during the shutdown. However, it said indoor structures and visitor centers would be closed to the public. The service also anticipated 64% of its 14,500 employees would be furloughed.
The Smithsonian facilities will remain open through Oct. 11, using prior-year funds. However, it’s unclear what will happen after Saturday.
FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers and agents manning airport checkpoints will continue to work. However, it may be without pay.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
