Since Oct. 1, the federal government has been shut down because the U.S. Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government. The shutdown, now the longest in American history, has wreaked havoc on airlines and the lives of federal workers.
Before the shutdown began, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution that funds the government through Nov. 21 at current levels. That resolution, which makes no policy changes, needs 60 votes in the Senate to advance.
The Senate is comprised of 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two independents who caucus with the Democrats. As such, the Republicans need Democratic votes to pass their continuing resolution.
To date, Democrats have voted against the GOP-backed resolution 14 times.
Democrats are refusing to open the government until Republicans extend Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. Democrat senators have warned that the expiration of the subsidies would result in large healthcare premium increases.
Minnesota’s Democrat U.S. senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, have not supported the GOP funding resolution. Instead, the pair have supported a competing Democrat-supported resolution that would fund the government and extend the subsidies.
Republicans have said negotiations on Obamacare subsidies can commence once the government is reopened and functioning normally.
According to The Hill, bipartisan negotiations to end the shutdown crumbled this week and the status of a 15th vote on the GOP-backed funding resolution was unknown as of Friday. That vote reportedly included a plan to amend the resolution to extend government funding into January.
On Friday, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said his caucus would vote to end the shutdown if the GOP supported a one-year extension of the subsidies.
Speaking from the Senate floor Friday, Klobuchar said Schumer’s offer was “a practical plan” that would stop premiums from increasing and give legislators time to make reforms. Alpha News reached out to Smith for this story but did not hear back.
Senate Republicans rejected the Schumer plan in a social media post, saying “Nope. This is laughable. Democrats want to give $35 billion next year to insurance companies for subsidies with no fraud controls and to benefit the wealthy.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has called on Republicans to end the Senate filibuster, the procedural rule that requires legislation to gain 60 votes before it can advance. If the Senate voted to end the filibuster, Republicans could reopen the government on their own and pass any legislation they want with a simple majority.
While some Senate Republicans have expressed openness to the idea, GOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said there are not enough votes to end the filibuster. Thune, along with other congressional Republicans, are opposed to ending the filibuster.
Supporters say the procedural rule acts as an important check against overreaches by the majority party and ensures legislation has bipartisan support.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
