Senate fails to advance continuing resolution, government still unfunded

The Senate on Tuesday night failed once again to make progress on legislation to keep the federal government open, marking the eighth unsuccessful attempt to advance a continuing resolution since the shutdown began earlier this month.

The chamber fell short of the 60 votes required to move forward on the House-passed bill, which would extend government funding through Nov. 21. The final tally was 49-45, with Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine breaking ranks to vote with Republicans, while Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against the measure, continuing his opposition to temporary spending bills that maintain current funding levels.

Several senators did not vote, including Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) voted against the resolution, as a procedural move that allows him to bring the bill up again for reconsideration.

The federal government entered a shutdown at the beginning of October after the Senate failed to pass either the House’s stopgap bill or a Democratic alternative.

The continued stalemate has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay, and key agencies operating with limited capacity. It has allowed President Donald Trump to permanently deleted thousands of federal jobs in agencies that are nonessential to most Americans.

“The Democrat Government Shutdown is doing real harm to the American people. While Democrats continue to celebrate suffering, they demand $1.5 TRILLION in new partisan spending to end it. Here’s what they want: $200B for FREE health care for ILLEGAL ALIENS • ENDING work requirements for able-bodied young men on Medicaid • CUTTING $50B from rural hospitals • RESTORING $500M for Leftist Media Outlets. • Sending $5 billion OVERSEAS for ‘climate resilience, ‘feminist organizing’ & ‘LGBTQI+ Democracy Grants’ – An UNSERIOUS proposal from UNSERIOUS people — that causes SERIOUS harm to the American people. Republicans will NOT let this happen,” wrote House Speaker Mike Johnson.

With no breakthrough in sight, lawmakers are expected to continue negotiations through the week, though both parties remain divided over spending levels and policy riders tied to the next short-term funding measure.