The Senate's seventh attempt to pass a House-approved bill to reopen the federal government has failed, leaving the nation in a nine-day shutdown with no resolution in sight.
As reported by The Hill, the procedural vote on the "clean" continuing resolution, which would fund the government through Nov. 21 at current levels, fell short at 54-45, needing 60 votes to move forward.
Only three Democrats—Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats—crossed party lines to support the measure, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky stood alone among Republicans in opposition.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York remains unyielding, telling Punchbowl in a recent interview, "Every day gets better for us." His bravado suggests a calculated gamble, banking on polls showing more Americans pinning blame on Republicans, who currently hold the White House and Congress.
Schumer doubled down in a video message, accusing Republicans of responsibility for the shutdown and declaring, "No f—ing way. It’s literally life or death." Such inflammatory language only fuels the fire, ignoring the real pain felt by over 1.3 million military members set to miss paychecks on Oct. 15.
While Democrats dig in, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota has filed a motion to reconsider the House bill, keeping the option open for future votes as pressure mounts on both sides.
Republican leaders aren’t holding back, with Thune stating on the Senate floor before the vote, "The longer this goes on, the more the American people realize that Democrats own this shutdown." His words cut to the core of a frustrating stalemate where political posturing seems to trump the needs of struggling citizens.
Vice President Vance echoed the sentiment on social media, calling Schumer’s remark about each day getting better a "vile sentiment." It’s hard to see how gloating over a shutdown that delays flights in airports like Burbank and Nashville, due to unpaid air traffic controllers, serves anyone but partisan scorekeepers.
The shutdown’s toll is undeniable, with Federal Aviation Administration staff working without compensation and the Trump administration exploring ways to redirect funds to pay troops facing financial uncertainty.
Earlier on Thursday, the Senate also rejected a Democratic alternative plan to reopen the government, which aimed to permanently extend enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and reverse nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. That proposal failed on a near party-line vote of 47 to 50, marking its seventh defeat since Sept. 19.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut defended the Democratic stance, arguing, "Ultimately, we have a job to do, which is to protect this country from a slide toward authoritarianism and to protect our constituents from giant cost increases." Yet, one wonders if the 4 million people he claims will lose health insurance later this year would prefer action over rhetoric right now.
With no breakthrough in sight, the Senate’s planned recess for the Columbus Day week is expected to be canceled, keeping lawmakers in Washington to grapple with this ongoing crisis.
As both sides trade barbs, the real cost of this shutdown falls on everyday folks, from military families bracing for missed pay to travelers facing delays at understaffed airports. Republicans may have a point that Democrats are playing a dangerous game, but neither party emerges spotless when governance grinds to a halt over ideological trenches.
The Senate’s repeated votes—seven on the House bill, seven on the Democratic plan—show a stubborn refusal to compromise, even as the public suffers. It’s a stark reminder that Washington’s power struggles often leave the average citizen as collateral damage.
Until leaders on both sides prioritize function over faction, this deadlock will persist, and the pain will only deepen for those who can least afford it. Let’s hope the next vote, whenever Thune brings it back, finally puts people over politics.
