US government shutdown alert: Democrats halt funding bill in 13th
Democrats in the US Senate blocked a government funding bill for the 13th time (Photo: Getty Images)
In the US Senate, Democrats voted for the 13th time to block a House-passed bill to reopen the federal government, The Hill reports.
This occurred despite appeals earlier this week from the country’s largest federal workers’ union to end the 28-day government shutdown.
The House-approved government funding bill, which would have extended operations until November 21, was rejected in the Senate with a vote of 54 in favor and 45 against. Sixty votes were required for approval.
Only three members of the Democratic caucus voted in favor of advancing the bill: Senators John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), and Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.
Before the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer stated that the Republican Party must agree to extend health insurance benefits, calling it a matter of principle.
Meanwhile, Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune said they would be willing to discuss the issue once the Democrats vote to reopen the government.
US government shutdown
In the US, the government has been partially shut down since October 1 due to the lack of approved funding for federal agencies for the upcoming period.
This shutdown has already surpassed the 21-day shutdown of 1995–1996, becoming the second-longest in US history.
The longest government shutdown occurred in 2018–2019, lasting 35 days, though the current shutdown could break that record as well.
Daily economic losses in the US due to the shutdown are estimated at $15 billion.
Meanwhile, the Senate has repeatedly attempted to pass bills that could end the government shutdown.
Federal agencies have already faced numerous issues. For example, due to the shutdown, the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sent 1,400 employees on unpaid leave.
Total losses from the shutdown in the US amount to $15 billion per day.
At the same time, an anonymous donor contributed $130 million to the Pentagon to cover salaries and benefits for service members during the shutdown, while the government is unable to pay from the federal budget.
