Summary
- US government shutdown entered 28th day on Tuesday.
- Senate deadlocked on spending legislation with no resolution.
- Crucial food aid program nearing exhaustion of funds.
A Republican-backed plan that would have provided funding for federal agencies through November 21 was blocked by Senate Democrats for the thirteenth time. Because the package does not include funding for healthcare programs or restrictions on Donald Trump's cuts to congressionally approved funds, the minority party has declined to lend the support required for it to pass the Senate with 60 votes.
Citing the economic hardship experienced by government employees, the president of the biggest federal workers union urged Congress to approve the Republican proposal, but the impasse persisted.
“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight. Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay – today,” Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), said in a statement released on Monday.
Chuck Schumer, the leading Democrat in the Senate, however, indicated that his party would not be changing its policy of waiting for the Republicans to make concessions, pointing to the impending increase in premiums for health plans covered by the Affordable Care Act. Ahead of the start of the open enrollment period on Saturday, many plan members have gotten letters of significant premium increases, even though the tax credits that cut their costs expire at the end of the year.
“Families are going to be in panic this weekend all across America, millions of them. How are they going to pay this bill? How are they going to live without healthcare? It’s tragic, and of course, it didn’t have to be, but Republicans are doing nothing,”
Schumer told reporters at the US Capitol.
The AFGE's statement was used by Republican Senate majority leader John Thune to claim that Democrats were being reckless by not supporting the bill, which was passed by Republicans in the House of Representatives last month on a nearly party-line vote before Speaker Mike Johnson put the chamber into an indefinite recess.
“I sincerely hope, in the best interest of every American who is impacted by this shutdown, and particularly those who are going to be really adversely impacted come this weekend, that the enough Democrats will come to their senses and deliver the five votes that are necessary to get this bill on the president’s desk,”
Thune said, adding that he planned to hold further votes on the spending legislation.
Due to the impending expiry of financing for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), commonly referred to as food stamps, both parties shared responsibility. Although more than two dozen states sued the Trump administration on Tuesday, claiming that funds are available for Snap benefits to continue, the Department of Agriculture has stated that it does not have the finances to continue paying the benefit after November 1.
Democrats should either back a plan from fellow Republican senator Josh Hawley to let Snap continue during the shutdown, according to Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, "or they could just reopen the damn government, which is what they should be doing and should have been doing for the last month," he said.
What legal steps can Congress take to restore funding quickly?
Congress can legislate a short term backing bill, known as a continuing resolution, which temporarily funds government operations at current or acclimated situations to avoid a lapse. CRs can last from days to months and are generally used when full appropriations bills are stalled.
Immaculately, Congress passes the 12 periodic appropriations bills that fund specific civil agencies and programs. Passing these bills collectively or in an omnibus package restores full backing.
This special legislative procedure allows expedited consideration of certain budget related bills related to spending, earnings, or the civil debt limit. It requires only a simple maturity in the Senate, bypassing filibusters, enabling hastily passage of budget measures.