Hours into a government shutdown Wednesday, the Senate once again blocked both the Democratic and Republican funding proposals, underscoring the impasse over how to reopen federal agencies.
A procedural vote to bring up Democrats’ continuing resolution failed on a 47-53 party-line vote. A similar vote to advance Republicans’ CR failed 55-45, with the same three Democratic caucus members who supported it Tuesday night voting in favor. Sixty affirmative votes were needed to advance the bills.
The push from GOP leaders to make the Senate vote repeatedly on their clean, seven-week CR comes as Democrats remain mostly united against the measure, calling for Republican leaders to negotiate with them on health care and other priorities.
Republicans are hoping they can get more of them on their side as the impacts of the shutdown begin to set in. Tuesday’s vote failed.
