The US authorities shutdown entered its second week on Monday, with Democratic and Republican lawmakers making no obvious progress in the direction of reaching a deal to restart funding, whereas the Trump administration warned it was transferring ahead with plans to slash the federal workforce.
Many companies and departments closed their doorways and instructed staff to remain dwelling final Wednesday, after Congress didn’t approve laws to proceed the federal government’s authority to spend cash.
Democrats have refused to again any invoice that doesn’t embrace an array of healthcare-centered concessions, however Congress’s Republican leaders have refused to barter over their calls for till authorities funding is restored. In a while Monday, the Senate will vote for a fifth time on the occasion’s competing proposals to reopen the federal government, however neither measure seems to have sufficient votes to advance.
“We hope that the vote is not going to fail, as a result of this administration desires to reopen the federal government,” White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt instructed reporters.
Leavitt mentioned that if the shutdown stretches on, a program thats pays for meals for low-income moms and youngsters would exhaust its funding, whereas authorities staff would miss a paycheck, although federal regulation entitles them to again pay. She additionally reiterated the Trump administration’s threats to fireplace federal employees.
“We don’t need to see folks laid off. However, sadly, if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unlucky consequence of that,” Leavitt mentioned.
Within the days for the reason that shut down started, Russ Vought, the director of the White Home workplace of administration and funds, has cancelled funding for power tasks in a number of states, in addition to transportations developments in Chicago and New York – all of that are areas ruled by Democrats.
However although he warned earlier than funding lapsed that he would use it as a possibility to deepen cuts to the federal workforce, these have largely not but taken place.
Requested about when layoffs could also be introduced, Leavitt replied: “We’ll see how the vote goes tonight.”
Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress have proven no indicators of budging from their calls for within the days for the reason that shutdown started. Speaker Mike Johnson has stored the Home on recess for a second straight week, in a bid to stress Senate Democrats to supply the roughly eight votes the Republican funding invoice is predicted to wish to advance within the higher chamber.
“The ball is within the court docket of the Senate Democrats. There’s solely a handful of individuals within the nation who can clear up this downside,” Johnson instructed a press convention.
The Democratic minority has largely caught to their calls for that any laws to fund the federal government consists of an extension of premium tax credit for folks lined by Reasonably priced Care Act medical health insurance. Created below Joe Biden, the credit are set to run out on the finish of the 12 months, and prices for 20 million enrollees of the plans will rise if they don’t seem to be prolonged.
The occasion has additionally included of their funding invoice a reversal of the Republican cuts to Medicaid, which gives medical health insurance to the poor and disabled, in addition to a restoration of funding for public media retailers like PBS and NPR, and a prohibition on Donald Trump’s use of a “pocket rescission” to undo congressional appropriations.
The Senate’s Republican majority chief John Thune has held 4 votes on the 2 events’ payments previously weeks. No Republicans have supported the Democratic proposal, whereas solely three members of the minority – John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Angus King of Maine – have backed the GOP invoice.
In an interview on CBS Information, Schumer mentioned he and the highest Home Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, could be keen to barter with Trump and the Republican management, however they’ve refused. And whereas he has “inspired” his lawmakers “to sit down and speak to Republicans”, these conversations weren’t promising.
“The Republicans supplied nothing,” Schumer mentioned. “The one method it will in the end be solved is that if 5 folks sit collectively in a room and clear up it.”
A number of latest polls have proven Democrats with a slim edge within the public’s opinion of a shutdown. A Harvard CAPS-Harris Ballot discovered that 53% of respondents held the GOP answerable for the shutdown, versus 47% who blamed the Democrats. Seventy p.c of these surveyed opposed the shutdown general.
Johnson reiterated that he wouldn’t name the chamber again into session till authorities funding is restored. He has additionally mentioned he’ll solely swear in newly elected Democratic consultant Adelita Grijalva as soon as the Home returns to work.
Grijalva is about to be the 218th lawmaker to signal a petition that may pressure a vote on a invoice to launch information associated to Jeffrey Epstein. Johnson and Trump oppose releasing the information, and Thomas Massie, an iconoclastic Republican consultant who has led the cost to make the paperwork public, accused Johnson of protecting the Home out of session to delay that vote.
“Why are we in recess? As a result of the day we return into session, I’ve 218 votes for the discharge petition to pressure a vote on releasing the Epstein information,” Massie mentioned, including that Johnson “doesn’t need that to be the information”.
Joseph Gedeon contributed reporting
