US Senate fails to advance Republican bill to end government shutdown

WASHINGTON

The US Senate failed Thursday to advance a Republican bill for the 10th time as a federal government shutdown stretches into its third week.

By a vote of 51-45, the Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to move forward on a House-passed measure to fund the government until Nov. 21.

Republicans need to gain support from five senators to break the deadlock, a figure that has held steady since the funding lapse began.

The upper chamber will pivot later consider an $852 billion defense appropriations bill.

Both parties continue to accuse each other of obstructing progress on reopening the government.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters before the vote that Democrats want the government to remain closed, and "they seem not to care about the pain that it's causing."

"As soon as five Senate Democrats come to their senses and break ranks and turn the lights back on, House Republicans are anxious to get back to legislative session and to pick up our unfinished business. We have a lot yet to do," said Johnson.

When asked what Democrats need to see from Republicans, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "We're not negotiating in public, plain and simple," adding that Senate Majority Leader John Thune "has not come to me with any proposal at this point."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, for his part, said Democrats are ready to sit down "anytime, anyplace, with anyone" to find a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government, stand by the working federal civil servants and address the health care crisis.

"The partisan Republican spending bill that guts the health care of the American people has now been defeated a total of 10 times," said Jeffries.

He added that the American people are suffering under Republican policies that have made life "more expensive" for them.

White House budget director Russell Vought announced Friday that layoffs of federal workers "have begun".

During previous government shutdowns, standard procedure has been to keep essential workers on the job, but unpaid, and furlough nonessential workers, also unpaid, but then give them all back pay once the shutdown is over.

President Donald Trump, however, has threatened to fire, not just furlough, thousands of workers and not give others back pay.

Democrats and labor unions call the moves illegal and pledged a challenge in court.