The US was headed towards its 15th government shutdown since 1981 yesterday, with Republicans and Democrats in Congress unable to agree on – indeed not even appearing to negotiate – a deal to fund federal agencies.
The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to vote on a temporary spending bill that has failed once already, with no sign that a second vote will bring success before the midnight deadline today.
Democrats want to modify the bill to extend health benefits for millions of Americans that are due to expire at the end of the year.
Republicans say they must tackle that issue separately. “We’ll have plenty of time for all the policy debates,” House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, said on CNBC.
“But you have to keep the government open to do it.”
Federal agencies, meanwhile, issued detailed plans that would close offices conducting scientific research, customer service and other activities not deemed essential and send thousands of workers home if Congress does not agree on a fix before funding expires.
Airlines warned that a shutdown could slow flights, while the Labour Department said it would not issue its monthly unemployment report, a closely watched barometer of economic health.
The Small Business Administration said it would stop issuing loans, while the Environmental Protection Agency said it would suspend some pollution-cleanup efforts.
Democrats sought to drive a wedge between US President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress, saying the president showed an interest in extending a tax break that lowers health costs for 24 million Americans at a White House meeting on Monday.
Trump himself followed up by posting a deepfake video showing manipulated images of Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer appearing to criticise Democrats while top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries stood next to him, with a crudely drawn sombrero and mustache imposed over his face.
Speaking to reporters outside the US Capitol, Jeffries responded to Trump’s post: “The next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video. When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.”
Any last-minute agreement would also have to be approved by the Republican-controlled House, which is not due to convene until Wednesday, after funding expires.
Budget-related showdowns have become a routine feature in Washington as the nation’s politics have grown increasingly dysfunctional, though they are often resolved at the last minute.
The government last shut down for 35 days in 2018 and 2019, during Trump’s first term, due to a dispute over immigration.
At issue now is $1.7 trillion that funds agency operations, which amounts to roughly one-quarter of the government’s total $7trn budget.
Much of the remainder goes to health and retirement programmes and interest payments on the growing $37.5trn debt.
Trump’s willingness to ignore spending laws passed by Congress has injected more uncertainty this time around, and he has threatened to extend his purge of the federal workforce if Congress allows the government to shut down.
In the spring, he ordered federal agencies to consider firing ‘non-essential’ employees who normally would be ordered not to work during a shutdown.
“We may do a lot, and that’s only because of the Democrats,” Trump said yesterday.
Trump has also refused to spend billions of dollars approved by Congress.
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