US Senate again rejects Republican plan to end government shutdown | US federal government shutdown 2025

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday again rejected a Republican plan to end the government shutdown that began two weeks ago, while Congress remains deadlocked on legislation to reopen the federal government.

The eighth Senate vote to advance a Republican bill to fund government operations through November 21 failed by a score of 49-45; this was well below the 60 required to advance in parliament. In a sign of little progress toward ending the impasse, no senators have changed their votes since the measure was last considered, although there were a handful of absentees.

Democrats and Republicans continued to share blame after the Trump administration began laying off federal employees at various government agencies last week.

In his speech to the Senate, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer harshly criticized the Trump administration’s decision to approve a massive rescue package for Argentina amid a government shutdown that has shuttered federal agencies and furloughed workers across the country.

“If this administration has $20 billion to spend on a Maga-friendly foreign government, they can’t turn around and say we don’t have the money to lower the cost of health care here at home,” Schumer said, calling the move a “slap in the face” to U.S. families.

Senate majority leader John Thune accused Democrats of “holding government funding hostage” over their demands to extend expiring subsidies for people who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. If tax credits expire, millions of Americans would see their health insurance premiums rise sharply.

“Democrats were against shutdowns when it suited their political purposes, and now they think it suits their political purposes to keep the government shut down, they now support shutdowns,” Thune said, adding: “I suspect their political calculations are flawed.”

Earlier Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not negotiate with Senate Democrats as the government shutdown approaches its 14th day, while defending the Trump administration’s decision to rummage through Pentagon funds to ensure military personnel receive their paychecks.

“I have nothing to bargain with,” Johnson told reporters, accusing Democrats of playing games.

Johnson also dismissed Democratic concerns about the legality of the Pentagon’s decision Wednesday to use unspent research and development funds to pay service members, starting with their paychecks.

“If Democrats want to go to court and challenge the payment of soldiers, bring it,” Johnson said. “I am grateful for a commander in chief who understands the country’s priorities.”

The payment adjustment comes after Donald Trump ordered his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, to find money for military salaries over the weekend. Trump said in a post on TruthSocial that he would not allow Democrats to “hold our military and the entire security of our nation HOSTAGE” during the shutdown.

The Pentagon and the Office of Management and Budget announced that troops will receive their paychecks scheduled for Oct. 15 using reallocated funds, eliminating the immediate need for a separate U.S. military pay bill.

Johnson said the Trump administration had “every right” to redirect defense department funds, but Democratic lawmakers questioned whether the action was legal.

The speaker went on to blame Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer for the deadlock, accusing him of blocking the “clean” continuing resolution passed by the House to appease the progressive wing of his party.

“We will certainly not allow the American people to be held hostage for political interests,” Johnson said, adding that he had “no strategy” other than “doing what is right, what is obvious, what is traditional.”

“There’s nothing I can do to make this document more acceptable to them,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday, claiming the Republicans’ stopgap funding bill lacked partisan priorities.

The Republican speaker kept the House in an extended recess and canceled scheduled votes as he tried to pressure Senate Democrats to accept the Republicans’ proposal without changes. Playing hardball has drawn praise from the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, but criticism from some Republicans who argue the House should deliberate.

According to a application to court More than 4,000 public employees were laid off during the shutdown by the American Federation of Public Employees, the nation’s largest federal labor union. Senate Democrats representing Maryland and Virginia, states with high concentrations of federal workers, condemned the layoffs on Tuesday.

“This is all part of the Trump 2025 playbook.” in question Chris Van Hollen, Maryland senator. “Stop attacking workers, stop attacking the American people, and start negotiating to reopen the federal government.”