A $1.2 trillion government spending package approved by the House of Representatives early Friday failed to pass in the Senate, beginning a partial government shutdown.
Senate Republicans and Democrats could not reach an agreement to abandon lengthy deliberations and vote on the spending bill quickly in time to avoid a shutdown. The bill failed to pass by Saturday’s 12:01 a.m. deadline because of disagreements between the two parties over whether to consider several amendments.
But by 11 p.m. Friday night, the two parties appeared to have reached an agreement, and senators returned to the floor. Two Republican Senate leaders confirmed to Fox News Digital that votes on the amendments and spending package are scheduled for shortly after midnight. House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced that an agreement had been reached on the floor just minutes before midnight, adding that there would be several votes on the amendment first.
The House passed the spending bill early Friday morning by a vote of 286-134. But a majority of Republicans voted against the bill, demonstrating deep resentment over the spending bill’s content and procedures.
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New York State Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Elizabeth Franz/Pool, via AP)
This dissatisfaction is also evident among Senate Republicans, some of whom are pushing for a series of bills to avoid a partial government shutdown unless Democrats vote on several amendments, including one. It refused to pass quickly. Focused on the southern border and illegal immigration.
But Democrats were similarly reluctant to vote on all the amendments requested by Republicans, especially those that could pass with bipartisan support, because it would send them back to the House. Republican Senate officials told Fox News Digital that any move related to illegal immigration could hurt vulnerable senators up for re-election in November. He also opposed the vote on the amendment.
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Although the government is technically in a partial shutdown, given the fact that the shutdown occurred after hours and ahead of a weekend, the full impact will not be felt unless it is extended until Monday. If a spending package is not passed by then, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Financial Services, General Government, the Legislature, the State Department and the Foreign Service would be affected.
This would result in the closure of the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Financial Services, General Government, the Legislature, the Department of State, and the Department of Foreign Affairs. (Photo credit: Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images)
Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Justice, Department of Commerce, Energy and Water Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Transportation and Housing.
The Senate failed to pass only the second of two six-bill bills, which would fund departments and agencies that make up nearly 70% of the federal government. Affected government departments are currently required to close, but operations will not come to a complete halt.
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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (left), Democrat of New York. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) poses for a photo before meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., ahead of the meeting on July 27, 2023. (Saul Loeb)
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Salaries will not be paid while government funding is lost, but certain roles and functions that workers and their various departments and agencies deem essential will be required to continue. For example, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel will continue to work and be authorized to travel, and active-duty military personnel will continue to perform duties necessary to U.S. national security.
The government cannot continue full normal functions until Congress passes a budget to restore funding.
