Senate Democrats rejected a clean, bipartisan spending bill to temporarily fund the government on Friday afternoon, ensuring the government shutdown will continue into next week with no votes scheduled for the weekend.
Just three Democrats crossed party lines to advance a House-passed bill that would reopen the government, short of the eight Democrats needed to overcome the upper chamber’s legislative filibuster. Democrats’ refusal to fund government operations comes as active-duty troops are reporting to work without pay and federal nutrition programs that tens of millions of low-income Americans rely on are in danger of expiring.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was the lone Republican to vote against the seven-week funding extension, which would temporarily fund the government through Nov. 21. The failed vote of 54 to 44 marked the fourth time that Senate Democrats have voted to shut down the government.
The continuing shutdown comes as far-left activist groups, including MoveOn, are engaging in a concerted pressure campaign to persuade Senate Democrats to oppose the bipartisan funding bill and keep the government shutdown for the sake of political leverage.
However, a handful of Democrats, such as Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, have dissented from the prevailing view among Democrats that refusing to fund the government is justified until Republicans agree to add roughly $1.5 trillion in healthcare demands to their funding measure.
“I don’t care if it’s a Republican, Democrat, whatever administration — it’s wrong to shut our government down,” Fetterman told reporters on Friday. “Now people are gaming out who’s getting more blame. I don’t give a shit who’s getting the blame. It’s bad for our nation.”
The White House is warning that federal support for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will run out of funding within one to two weeks depending on the state. The program assists roughly seven million Americans with neonatal care, food assistance and nutrition education.
“By instigating a government shutdown, Democrats are turning their backs on WIC recipients,” a White House budget office spokesperson told the DCNF. “The program will run out of money this month, meaning that women and children would no longer receive benefits.”
“The White House and Republicans in the House-passed CR added $600 million to WIC to avoid this outcome—but unfortunately Democrats are okay with women and children losing benefits,” the spokesperson added.
Senate Republicans are continuing to slam Democrats for keeping the government closed while some Americans are forgoing pay and various government services have been shuttered.
“While the government is stuck in this Schumer Shutdown, American families are paying the price,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, the second-ranking Senate Republican, said on the Senate floor on Thursday. “Veterans will face longer wait times for appointments. Members of the military and Border Patrol agents will continue to protect our nation without pay. Some wildfire prevention will stop.”
“Democrats have the opportunity to do the right thing for the American people,” Barrasso continued.
Friday is the third full day of the government shutdown. The last funding lapse occurred during President Trump’s first term in 2018 and lasted 34 days — the longest shutdown in history.
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