The federal government shut down after midnight on Wednesday when lawmakers and President Donald Trump could not resolve a budget dispute centered on Democratic demands for health care funding. The impasse marks the first shutdown since a 35-day closure almost seven years ago, and it will halt operations at multiple departments and agencies while affecting hundreds of thousands of workers. Trump blamed Democrats for the stalled negotiations, and he threatened to target progressive priorities while forcing mass public sector job cuts. He told reporters he would use the shutdown to eliminate Democrat-supported programs.
Government operations stopped at 12:01 a.m. after the Senate failed to approve a short-term funding resolution already passed by the House of Representatives. Democrats sought to restore hundreds of billions of dollars in health care spending, particularly for the Obamacare program that serves low-income households. The Senate requires 60 votes to pass funding bills, but Republicans control only 53 seats. Nearly all Senate Democrats voted against the House-passed seven-week funding measure before the midnight deadline.
The shutdown will not affect essential services like the Postal Service, the military, and welfare programs such as Social Security and food stamps. However, up to 750,000 workers could be furloughed each day without pay until the shutdown ends, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Senate will reconvene on Wednesday, but a House recess lasting all week prevents quick approval of any deal. Senators will be out on Thursday for Yom Kippur.
Government operations stopped at 12:01 a.m. after the Senate failed to approve a short-term funding resolution already passed by the House of Representatives. Democrats sought to restore hundreds of billions of dollars in health care spending, particularly for the Obamacare program that serves low-income households. The Senate requires 60 votes to pass funding bills, but Republicans control only 53 seats. Nearly all Senate Democrats voted against the House-passed seven-week funding measure before the midnight deadline.
The shutdown will not affect essential services like the Postal Service, the military, and welfare programs such as Social Security and food stamps. However, up to 750,000 workers could be furloughed each day without pay until the shutdown ends, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Senate will reconvene on Wednesday, but a House recess lasting all week prevents quick approval of any deal. Senators will be out on Thursday for Yom Kippur.
