Government Shutdown Drags Into a Week as Senate Fails to Pass Funding Bills Again

The US Senate on Monday voted on dueling stopgap funding proposals from both Republicans and Democrats in an attempt to end the ongoing government shutdown. However, both measures failed to gather the 60 votes needed to advance, pushing the shutdown into its seventh day.The Republican-backed bill failed in a 52–42 vote. Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman, along with Independent Senator Angus King, joined most Republicans in supporting the measure. GOP Senator Rand Paul once again voted against the bill, as he has in previous rounds.The Democratic proposal also fell short, with a 45–50 vote. Neither side was able to secure the bipartisan support needed to overcome the Senate filibuster threshold.With no breakthrough in sight, lawmakers are now expected to vote on a House-passed Republican version that would fund the government through late November.Following the Senate votes, President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, blaming Democrats for the shutdown. “Democrats have SHUT DOWN the United States Government right in the midst of one of the most successful Economies, including a Record Stock Market, that our Country has ever had,” he wrote. Trump added that the shutdown has disrupted essential programs and services, and urged Democrats to “open our Government tonight,” while also expressing openness to work with them on issues like healthcare—once the government reopens.Democrats and Republicans continue to trade blame for the ongoing shutdown, while negotiations remain stalled and the Senate fails to advance any funding bills.Trump showed some willingness to cut a deal with the Democrats on healthcare. However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday that Democrats are involved in no talks with the Trump administration about ending the shutdown. “I do not know of any Democrats who have spoken to President Trump or members of his administration on this issue of reopening the government, enacting a bipartisan spending agreement, and addressing the Republican health care crisis,” Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol.