Senate Democrats Block Funding Bill Again
On Wednesday, Senate Democrats blocked a House-passed bill aimed at reopening the government and maintaining the budget through November 21 for the twelfth time.
The funding bill, which sought to extend Biden-era funding levels, was halted after Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) delivered a nearly 23-hour speech in protest of former President Trump’s first nine months in office.
Merkley’s firm stance drew praise from his Democratic colleagues before the vote on the Republican-drafted bill.
The attempt to pass the bill resulted in a 54-46 vote, falling short of the necessary 60 votes to advance.
Only three Democratic senators supported the bill: Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), and Angus King (Maine), who is an independent leaning with Democrats.
On the Republican side, only Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against the bill.
Democrats who opposed the House measure argued it would lead to defunding the government unless Republicans negotiate on various issues like health insurance subsidies and cuts to Medicaid.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-LA) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) have consistently dismissed Democratic calls for negotiations regarding health care spending as the government shutdown continues.
In light of frequent failures to pass funding bills in the Senate, House Republicans are exploring a temporary funding bridge that might extend until December 2026.
Even in a scenario where Democrats shifted their stance and supported the current House funding proposal, it would only sustain the government until the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Jason Smith (R-Missouri), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, mentioned to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday the potential for a new continuing resolution lasting until December 1, 2026.
Thune noted that the likelihood of passing a standard annual spending bill in 2025 is diminishing as the shutdown lingers.
He expressed, “The longer they drag this out, the harder it becomes to see a path forward,” emphasizing the preference for adopting traditional budgeting methods.
