Fed agencies out of money since Oct 1, with public services crippled amid stalled talks between two sides
\n Washington
\nThe US government shutdown looked set to extend into a third week as senators again rejected a Republican funding bill Thursday despite President Donald Trump\u2019s attempts to turn the thumbscrews on opposition Democrats.
\nFederal agencies have been out of money since October 1 and public services have been crippled amid stalled talks between the two sides that have led to a series of near-daily failed votes to turn the lights back on. With no sign of a breakthrough, the Senate adjourned until next Tuesday \u2014 meaning no votes will be held during that time.
\nTrump repeated his threats to slash government programs popular with Democrats as he berated the party over the shutdown at a cabinet meeting.
\n\u201cThe Democrat shutdown is causing pain and suffering for hardworking Americans, including our military, our air traffic controllers and impoverished mothers, people with young children, people that have to live not the greatest of lives,\u201d he said.
\nBut his attempts to pressure Democrats to back the Republican bill \u2014 which would open the government through late November as negotiations continue \u2014 have so far fallen on deaf ears.
\nDemocrats are privately preparing for a shutdown lasting several more weeks, CNN reported, if Republicans do not agree to their demands to extend health care subsidies due to expire on December 31.
\nWith some 750,000 federal workers \u201cfurloughed\u201d \u2014 placed on enforced leave without pay \u2014 both sides have voiced concerns about the likelihood of military personnel missing their paychecks next Wednesday.
\n\u2018Every day gets better\u2019
\nA bipartisan House bill that would guarantee the pay of 1.3 million active-duty servicemembers through the shutdown has around 150 co-sponsors.
\nBut Republican leaders oppose bringing it to the floor for a vote \u2014 insisting that the armed forces will be paid if Democrats simply provide the votes to end the shutdown.
\n\u201cThe President has made it clear: we must pay our troops,\u201d the bill\u2019s author, Republican congresswoman Jen Kiggans, posted on X. Democrats \u2014 emboldened by polling showing voters mostly blaming the shutdown on Republicans \u2014 are banking on increasing public support in a prolonged standoff.
\n\u201cEvery day gets better for us,\u201d Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Punchbowl News.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s because we\u2019ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on September 30 and we prepared for it. Their whole theory was threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.\u201d
\nAs well as widespread cuts, Trump\u2019s \u201cmaximum pain\u201d campaign to force Democrats to fold has included threats fire thousands of furloughed workers.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren\u2019t popular with Republicans, frankly, because that\u2019s the way it works,\u201d Trump said at his cabinet meeting.
\n\u201cThey wanted to do this, so we\u2019ll give them a little taste of their own medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fed agencies out of money since Oct 1, with public services crippled amid stalled talks between two sides Washington The US government shutdown looked set to extend into a third week as senators again rejected a Republican funding bill Thursday despite President Donald Trump\u2019s attempts to turn the thumbscrews on opposition Democrats. Federal agencies have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":507951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-507929","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n