After a Senate vote late Tuesday night along mostly party lines failed to pass a “clean” Continuing Resolution (CR) that would fund the government through November 21st, the federal government shut down for the first time since 2018 at 12:01am Wednesday morning. Democrats refused to vote for the bill unless concessions on healthcare were added, an issue Republicans rejected.
The shutdown leaves most of the government in furlough, although many employees—including members of the military and TSA agents—will continue to work without pay. It also provides significant new powers to the Trump administration, allowing Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to fire broad categories of federal agents and shut down government programs without the need for congressional approval. “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them — like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” President Donald Trump told reporters when asked about the potential shutdown.
The shutdown will remain in effect until Congress can appropriate additional funds for government use, something Democratic leadership in the Senate has said they will not do unless Republicans vote to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have stood firm on their insistence in passing a CR without any additions, and are betting that they can convince Democratic senators nervous about the White House’s new powers to break from the leadership of Sen. Schumer (D-NY) and pass the bill.
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