The US federal government moved closer to a shutdown on Friday after Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed spending bill, citing concerns over cuts to healthcare programmes. The GOP-controlled House had passed the measure earlier in the day on a near party-line vote, but it failed to advance in the Senate, where bipartisan support is typically required.
Democrats are demanding protections for Medicaid and subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. They argue that the Republican bill, which extends funding through November, would 'gut the healthcare of everyday Americans,' as House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries put it. Republicans, however, insist on a 'clean' continuing resolution without policy changes.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed the Democratic proposal as 'fundamentally unserious,' accusing Democrats of holding government funding hostage to partisan demands. The standoff poses a major test of Democratic unity, with only a handful of Democrats crossing party lines to support the Republican bill.
The impasse comes just nine months into Donald Trump’s term and follows a similar deadlock earlier this year, which ended with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backing a Republican bill to avert a shutdown. This time, House Democrats are counting on Schumer to hold firm, with Congressman Ami Bera stating, 'This is about fighting for healthcare.'
