(AFP) – The US government shutdown looked set to extend into a third week as senators again rejected a Republican funding bill Thursday despite President Donald Trump’s attempts to turn the thumbscrews on opposition Democrats. Federal agencies have been out of money since October 1 and public services have been crippled amid stalled talks between the two sides that have led to a series of near-daily failed votes to turn the lights back on.
With no sign of a breakthrough, the Senate adjourned until next Tuesday — meaning no votes will be held during that time. Trump repeated his threats to slash government programs popular with Democrats as he berated the party over the shutdown at a cabinet meeting. “The Democrat shutdown is causing pain and suffering for hardworking Americans, including our military, our air traffic controllers and impoverished mothers, people with young children, people that have to live not the greatest of lives,” he said.
But his attempts to pressure Democrats to back the Republican bill — which would open the government through late November as negotiations continue — have so far fallen on deaf ears. Democrats are privately preparing for a shutdown lasting several more weeks, CNN reported, if Republicans do not agree to their demands to extend health care subsidies due to expire on December 31. With some 750,000 federal workers “furloughed” — placed on enforced leave without pay — both sides have voiced concerns about the likelihood of military personnel missing their paychecks next Wednesday.
– ‘Every day gets better’ –
A bipartisan House bill that would guarantee the pay of 1.3 million active-duty servicemembers through the shutdown has around 150 co-sponsors. But Republican leaders oppose bringing it to the floor for a vote — insisting that the armed forces will be paid if Democrats simply provide the votes to end the shutdown. “The President has made it clear: we must pay our troops,” the bill’s author, Republican congresswoman Jen Kiggans, posted on X.
Democrats — emboldened by polling showing voters mostly blaming the shutdown on Republicans — are banking on increasing public support in a prolonged standoff. “Every day gets better for us,” Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Punchbowl News. “It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on September 30 and we prepared for it. Their whole theory was threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.”
As well as widespread cuts, Trump’s “maximum pain” campaign to force Democrats to fold has included threats fire thousands of furloughed workers. “We’ll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren’t popular with Republicans, frankly, because that’s the way it works,” Trump said at his cabinet meeting. “They wanted to do this, so we’ll give them a little taste of their own medicine.”
– Frankie TAGGART
© 2024 AFP
