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As the nation enters its sixth day of a partial federal government shutdown, Senate Republicans are set to bring the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to the floor for another vote this evening. The legislation, designed to fund the government through November 21, has been repeatedly blocked by Senate Democrats, leaving federal agencies largely frozen and federal employees in limbo.
Only three Democrats have broken with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s caucus: John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats. Their support has done little to move the needle on what both sides describe as an ongoing stalemate.
“Right now, we’re at a stalemate,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “They’ll get another chance on Monday to vote again, and I’m hoping that some of them have a change of heart.”
The Sixth Day of a Shutdown
Washington’s corridors of power are quiet, the buzz of government activity replaced by tense negotiation and political brinkmanship. Federal offices have been shuttered since the shutdown began, and many agencies remain minimally staffed. If the government does not reopen by Friday, most federal workers will miss their first paychecks. Active-duty military members face missing their next paycheck the following Wednesday unless Congress acts.
The impasse shows no signs of resolving in the immediate future. Democrats continue to oppose the clean House-passed CR, demanding that Republicans agree to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are currently set to expire at the end of the year. These premium tax credits were first introduced under the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and later extended through 2025 in the Democratic-led climate and infrastructure legislation of 2022.
“Democrats are holding firm because this is a question of healthcare security for millions of Americans,” said a senior Democratic aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “The enhanced subsidies have been crucial for families struggling with premiums, and allowing them to expire would be devastating.”
Republicans Push Back
Republican leaders, meanwhile, insist they are open to negotiations over the ACA subsidies—but not at the cost of keeping the government closed. “We want to fix it so it works,” President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday when asked about extending the subsidies. “Obamacare has been a disaster for the people. So we want to have it fixed.”
The GOP is betting that the public will place the blame for the shutdown squarely on Democratic shoulders. They cite March as a cautionary tale: at that time, Schumer helped Senate Republicans clear a filibuster on a stopgap funding bill amid fears that Democrats would be blamed for a shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly referenced that episode as evidence of Schumer’s political vulnerability. “Chuck Schumer is afraid that the Marxist far-left corner of his base is going to challenge him in New York,” Johnson said Friday.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has warned Republicans internally that approaching the first missed federal paycheck will increase pressure on Democrats. In a private conference call Saturday, he urged members to focus messaging on the stakes for working Americans.
Trump and his advisers have taken the strategy further, floating the possibility of mass layoffs for federal workers as the shutdown continues. Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser, described such firings as a “Sword of Damocles” meant to hang over Democrats. Speaking on CNN Sunday, Hassett said, “We think that the Democrats, there’s a chance that they’ll be reasonable once they get back into town on Monday. And if they are, I think there’s no reason for those layoffs.”
Yet Democrats are largely dismissing the threat as a bluff. Legal experts and congressional aides note that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally fire federal employees during a shutdown and that any attempts would almost certainly be challenged in court.
Divisions Within the GOP
Republicans themselves are divided over whether to negotiate on the ACA subsidies. Fiscal conservatives argue the subsidies were temporary pandemic relief measures and that extending them perpetuates government waste. Social conservatives are concerned that any GOP-backed extension could indirectly fund abortion coverage, citing the complex funding mechanisms under the ACA.
“Obamacare represented a substantial departure from the Hyde Amendment’s prohibition on taxpayer funding of elective abortion,” Senator Steve Daines (R., Mont.) wrote in a fact sheet on the subject. “While the abortion coverage itself must be funded by separate surcharges, taxpayer dollars nonetheless facilitate abortion coverage because the taxpayer funds are fungible and make it easier for plans covering abortion to offer those services.”
Moderate Republicans, particularly those representing states with large numbers of ACA beneficiaries, worry about the political fallout if subsidies are allowed to lapse ahead of the midterms. They are exploring compromises, including ending automatic plan reenrollment and introducing income caps, to reduce costs while keeping coverage available.
Obamacare Limitations
The Affordable Care Act has been a lightning rod for partisan conflict since its passage in 2010. The law’s architects assumed that larger risk pools would stabilize premiums, but in practice, premiums have often been higher than anticipated. The ACA provides subsidized insurance through state and federal marketplaces, but the affordability of coverage remains a challenge for many Americans.
The enhanced subsidies introduced under the American Rescue Plan reduced premium costs and made coverage more accessible, particularly for lower- and middle-income households. Democrats argue that letting these subsidies expire would undo years of progress in healthcare access, while Republicans maintain that the ACA was fundamentally flawed.
“It’s a difficult political balancing act,” said Emily Lawson, a healthcare policy analyst at the Brookings Institution. “Democrats see the subsidies as essential relief for millions, while Republicans see them as an opportunity to challenge Obamacare and assert fiscal restraint.”
Economic Consequences
Beyond the political brinkmanship, the shutdown is already taking a toll on the economy. Federal workers who are furloughed or forced to work without pay face financial strain, and contractors dependent on government funding may see delayed payments. Consumer confidence may also be affected, particularly if the shutdown stretches into a second week.
Markets have been jittery but largely stable, reflecting the uncertainty over whether Congress will act before the first missed paychecks. Economists warn that prolonged government closures could slow economic growth, disrupt federal services, and erode public trust in government effectiveness.
The Path Forward
As Senate Republicans prepare to bring the CR to the floor, the outcome remains uncertain. Thune has expressed hope that some Democrats may change their stance in the coming days, but there are no signs of a breakthrough in negotiations over ACA subsidies.
Political analysts suggest that both sides are leveraging the shutdown to score points with their respective bases. Republicans are emphasizing fiscal responsibility and the failures of Obamacare, while Democrats are framing their opposition as a defense of healthcare security and protections for working families.
“Both parties are playing chicken,” said Robert Goehl, a political science professor at George Washington University. “The real question is whether the public perceives one side as more responsible than the other. Public opinion could shift rapidly once paychecks are missed and services disrupted.”
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