Senate to vote again on funding bill
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (left), a Republican from South Dakota, and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, October 10, 2025 in Washington DC, USA.
Valerie Plesch | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The government shutdown extended into its third week on Wednesday as Republican and Democratic senators continued to duel over stopgap funding proposals.
The Senate will vote Wednesday afternoon for the ninth time on short-term funding resolutions that have failed in eight previous votes.
Republicans are insisting on a “clean” resolution that would provide funding to reopen the government at least through Nov. 21.
Democrats want any funding bill to extend Enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which expire at the end of this year. These and other provisions in the Democrats’ bill are estimated to cost $1 trillion.
Wednesday’s vote comes just days after the Trump administration said in a court filing that more than 4,000 federal employees had received notice of their layoffs.
Trump administration officials attribute the so-called cuts to Senate Democrats’ refusal to vote on the Republican funding proposal.
“Democrats are facing a government shutdown in 15 days. Democrats are showing no signs that they are ready for this to end,” Senate Majority Leader RS.D. said in his speech to the chamber on Wednesday. he said.
“Even the prospect of military families going without a paycheck wasn’t enough for Democrats to reopen the government,” Thune said.
“Democrats are also not worried about families in need who are uncertain about the future of nutrition assistance, or Americans in flood zones who can’t update their insurance or close on their homes in the middle of hurricane season,” Thune said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DY) disputed Thune’s claim, saying the government has been shut down since October 1 because Republicans “have refused to seriously work with Democrats to solve the health crisis looming over the American people.”
“As we speak, families are receiving letters about new health insurance rates and more states are opening up the window shopping period for what health insurance will look like next year,” Schumer said. he said.
“While the record is open, Republicans can’t keep kicking this can down the road. This is happening right now. The health crisis is right now,” Schumer said. Schumer said.
Thune and other Republicans have said they are willing to discuss extending the ACA’s strengthened tax credits once short-term funding is approved.
“We need five more Democrats to put the American people before the far left and say enough is enough to support this clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution that sits on the Senate floor today, ready to be picked up and passed,” Thune said Wednesday.
