WASHINGTON: The US federal government entered its first shutdown in nearly seven years after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on competing funding bills in the Senate, intensifying the partisan standoff over federal spending and health care.
Funding Bills Blocked
On Tuesday night, the Senate voted 55-45 on the GOP proposal to extend government funding through November 21, falling short of the 60 votes required to clear a filibuster. Democrats also blocked their own stopgap bill, which sought to extend funding until the end of October while injecting over $1 trillion in health care spending, including Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversal of recent Medicaid cuts.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) confirmed that federal funding expired at 11:59 pm local time, triggering a shutdown. Agencies were instructed to begin “orderly shutdown” procedures.
While most Democrats opposed the Republican plan, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman, and Angus King broke ranks to support it. On the GOP side, Senator Rand Paul voted against his party’s bill, exposing divisions within both camps.
Impact on Workers and Services
As shutdown procedures took effect, hundreds of thousands of federal employees were told to report for duty to begin wind-down operations. Non-essential staff face furloughs or permanent layoffs, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating as many as 750,000 workers could be affected each day.
The shutdown also puts health care subsidies at risk. The CBO projects that if tax credits lapse, about 4 million Americans could lose coverage next year, while 20 million more could see steep premium hikes. Longer term, by 2034, an additional 10 million could become uninsured.
Several agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), posted warnings on their websites, some blaming Democrats for the crisis.
Escalating Political Blame Game
Partisan recriminations quickly intensified. Senate Majority Leader John Thune accused Democrats of “demanding a showdown with the president,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned that Americans would blame Trump if health insurance costs surged.
President Trump, meanwhile, appeared to embrace the shutdown, describing it as an opportunity to “cut vast numbers of people out” of programs, adding that “a lot of good can come down from shutdowns.” He also repeated unsubstantiated claims that Democrats were shutting down the government to provide health care for undocumented immigrants.
The president escalated tensions further by posting an AI-generated video mocking Democratic leaders, featuring distorted voices and caricatures. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries hit back by posting a photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein, captioned, “This is real.”
Uncertain Path Forward
With both parties entrenched, the stalemate shows little sign of breaking. Analysts warn the consequences could ripple through the economy and public services, leaving Americans to bear the brunt of the political impasse.
The shutdown, the first since 2019, underscores the depth of division in Washington and raises doubts about whether lawmakers can reach a compromise before the effects worsen in the days ahead.
