The Senate has adjourned until Monday, prolonging the government shutdown for several more days. The chamber voted a 12th time earlier this week on the House-passed Republican short-term government spending bill, but the legislation again failed to advance without gaining more Democratic support.
Democrats continue to demand money when temporary Obamacare subsidy boosts expire later this year. Republicans continue to insist that negotiations have to wait until the government’s open. The House continues to remain in recess.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Bloomberg there’s no reason to vote on bills to ease the shutdown’s impact. “If I brought everybody back right now and we voted on a measure to do this, to pay essential workers, it would be spiked in the Senate,” he said. “It would be a waste of our time, and it would take the pressure off Chuck Schumer to get his job done and open the government again.”
In another week, air traffic controllers and other federal workers in roles deemed essential won’t be paid and open enrollment in health insurance plans begins a week from tomorrow. That’s also when SNAP benefit cards are supposed to reload.
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked legislation to pay federal employees who have been working without compensation during the government shutdown.
