News|PoliticsUS government shutdown enters third day, expected to last past weekend
The United States government shutdown has reached its third day, following the Senate's inability to pass a crucial spending bill before Yom Kippur.
The United States government shutdown has reached its third day, following the Senate's inability to pass a crucial spending bill before Yom Kippur.
Current Status and Legislative Efforts
The Senate did not vote on Thursday due to the observance of Judaism’s holiest day. The next vote is scheduled for Friday, although the likelihood of success remains low. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that a weekend vote is improbable, suggesting the shutdown may extend into the following week.
Both Republican and Democratic spending proposals have failed to secure the necessary 60 votes to pass, with senators voting mostly along party lines. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated that the House of Representatives is working on a new bill to present to the Senate. Republicans are also attempting to gain support from individual legislators, holding 53 Senate seats compared to the Democrats’ 45 seats. The Senate’s two independents often vote with Democrats but not consistently.
Several Democrats, including Maine Senator Angus King and Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, supported the Republican proposal earlier this week, citing concerns over the potential negative impact of a prolonged shutdown.
The United States government shutdown has reached its third day, following the Senate's inability to pass a crucial spending bill before Yom Kippur.
Former President Trump has suggested using the shutdown to reduce the federal workforce, diverging from the traditional approach of furloughing workers. He reportedly discussed potential agency cuts with Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that workforce reductions could number in the thousands.
Democrats aim to leverage the spending bill to negotiate healthcare concessions, seeking Republican approval for Affordable Care Act subsidies and the reversal of Medicaid cuts for non-citizens.
Ernst and Young projected in late September that each week of a government shutdown could cost the US economy approximately $7 billion.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.