The U.S. Senate on Thursday failed for the tenth time to pass a short-term Republican funding bill, securing just 51 votes. A separate vote on Pentagon funding could restore military pay if successful, but with lawmakers preparing to leave Washington for the weekend, the shutdown is expected to continue until at least Monday.
Healthcare Subsidies at the Center of the Standoff
Senate Majority Leader John Thune offered Democrats a guaranteed vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies if they agreed to reopen the government. Progressives, however, rejected the offer, demanding actual legislation rather than future promises.
Progressives Stand Firm
During a CNN town hall, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed verbal assurances. “I don’t accept IOUs. I don’t accept pinky promises,” Ocasio-Cortez said. Sanders mocked the idea of trusting a Trump pledge, adding sarcastically, “Oh yeah, no doubt, because the president is a very honest man.”
House Stalemate Adds to Shutdown Tensions
House Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the chamber out of session for four weeks, arguing that reconvening would ease pressure on Senate Democrats. He and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have traded jabs and agreed to a future C-SPAN debate, though no date has been set.
Uncertain Timeline and Mounting Impacts
Thune signaled support for extending subsidies with reforms but would not commit to a one-year, $35 billion extension and acknowledged the shutdown could stretch to Thanksgiving. Federal workers, now weeks without pay, shared personal struggles during the town hall. Ocasio-Cortez expressed empathy but reiterated the need for a lasting solution.
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