Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Senate Deadlocks on Dueling Plans as U.S. Government Shutdown Begins
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – The federal government will officially enter a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday after both Senate Republicans and Democrats blocked competing short-term funding bills, failing to prevent the first lapse in federal funding since President Donald Trump’s first term. The standoff capped days of failed negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders, with neither side willing to concede on core demands.
Late Tuesday, the Senate rejected two continuing resolutions. The Republican bill, which would have extended funding through Nov. 21, failed 55–45 despite support from three Democrats—Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), and Angus King (Maine). The Democratic bill, which sought to keep the government open until Oct. 31 while restoring billions in health-care funding, fell 47–53 along party lines. Both measures had previously failed earlier this month.
The White House immediately ordered agencies to implement “orderly shutdown” plans, with budget director Russell Vought instructing employees to report to their next shift for furlough preparations. The Congressional Budget Office estimated roughly 750,000 federal employees would be sidelined. While essential services such as Social Security payments and mail delivery will continue, nonessential operations will be curtailed, and contractors face uncertainty over back pay.
At the heart of the impasse is health-care policy. Democrats are demanding a permanent extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies—first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic—and a reversal of Medicaid cuts they say threaten hospitals and working-class families. Republicans insist those debates belong in the normal appropriations process, not in a stopgap measure, accusing Democrats of leveraging the deadline for political advantage. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) accused Democrats of “holding government funding hostage” while Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) countered that Trump was “using Americans as political pawns.”
President Trump has taken a combative stance, suggesting that the shutdown could be used to achieve “irreversible” program and workforce cuts. His comments sparked alarm among Democrats and some independents who fear mass firings beyond routine furloughs. Economists warn such a move could shake an already weakening labor market. Washington, D.C., home to many federal workers, is bracing for immediate impacts, while analysts note that even short shutdowns trim national economic growth and disrupt daily services.
The political fallout is already underway. Republicans are pressing their case that Democrats’ healthcare demands are unreasonable, while Democrats argue that millions of Americans will face steep premium increases if subsidies expire. Both sides are gambling that public opinion will swing their way as the shutdown’s effects ripple outward. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) canceled votes this week to keep pressure on Democrats, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) rallied his caucus to remain on duty, declaring: “We’re on duty. They’re on vacation. They’d rather shut the government down than protect the healthcare of the American people.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
President Donald Trump led tributes Tuesday to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham at Washington National Cathedral, remembering his longtime political ally as a towering figure in the Senate and a “true American original.”
The Senate confirmed Jay Clayton on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, placing a permanent leader over the nation’s intelligence community after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the post.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple ballistic missiles at American forces stationed in Jordan early Wednesday, prompting the United States and Saudi Arabia to carry out joint airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias operating inside Iraq.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described his latest White House meeting with President Donald Trump as “one of the best” the two leaders have ever held, saying the discussions demonstrated close cooperation and a shared determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
A municipal beach worker searching Israel’s Mediterranean coastline for items lost by swimmers discovered something far older than expected: an exceptionally rare 2,500-year-old coin minted in ancient Cyprus.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said federal investigators spent approximately eight months locating Dr. Anthony Fauci’s private journals, which Kennedy claimed had been scattered across 11 separate government servers.
Skywatchers are preparing for one of the most remarkable astronomical nights of the decade as a total solar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and a broad gathering of six planets converge around August 12.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com