Just 3 Democrats Vote To Pay Troops, Law Enforcement 38 Days Into Their Shutdown

Almost all Senate Democrats rejected a bipartisan bill Friday evening to pay active-duty troops and federal employees reporting to work, including Capitol Police officers, during the 38-day government shutdown.

Lawmakers voted 53 to 43 to advance the federal worker pay bill, falling seven votes short of the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. The failed vote marks the second time a majority of Democrats have blocked legislation to pay some federal workers during the funding lapse.

Sens. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico and Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia were the lone Democrats to cross party lines to support Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson’s Shutdown Fairness Act. Democratic Sen. John Fettermanof Pennsylvania, who supported the bill on Oct. 23, did not vote. Luján notably voted against the bill in October.

All federal employees have missed at least one full paycheck since the beginning of the shutdown on Oct. 1.

“Let me be clear about what a ‘no’ vote means,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, the second-highest-ranking Senate Republican, said during floor remarks Friday. “A NO vote is a vote to refuse to pay air traffic controllers who are working. Refuse to pay TSA agents who are working. Refuse to pay military members who are serving around the world. Refuse to pay Capitol Police officers who are here in this building working.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune also criticized Democrats for choosing to prolong the shutdown despite its toll on essential federal employees working unpaid during the shutdown.