US Government Shutdown Continues as Senate Fails to Pass Funding Bill for Fifth Consecutive Time

The United States government remains in a state of paralysis as the Senate failed to pass a crucial funding bill for the fifth consecutive time, aimed at ending the ongoing shutdown. In a vote held Monday night, both Democratic and Republican proposals failed to garner enough support, with neither side's plan receiving the necessary 60 votes. As a result, the federal government has now been effect

Senate requires at least 60 votes to pass any bill. The Democrats' proposal was rejected by a vote of 45-50, while the Republicans' proposal was also defeated 52-42.

The Democrats want to prioritize healthcare spending in the bill, whereas Republicans are pushing for an "unprioritized" spending plan.

President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to negotiate with the Democrats to resolve the shutdown, but stressed that the government must first be re-opened. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social following the vote, Trump stated, “I am ready to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies, but first, they must reopen the government. In fact, the government should be back up and running by tonight."

Democrats argue that if the Republican proposal passes, it will significantly limit healthcare access for low-income Americans. They insist that any spending bill must maintain subsidies for health insurance and reinstate the Medicaid program cuts made during the Trump administration.

On the other hand, Republicans accuse Democrats of causing the shutdown to provide healthcare to "illegal immigrants," a claim that Democratic leaders have denied. They contend that once the government is reopened, the healthcare issue can be dealt with separately in a different bill.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt has warned that if the shutdown continues, permanent layoffs for federal workers may become inevitable. She said, “We do not want anyone to lose their job, but if the shutdown continues, it will be unavoidable.”

Levitt also called for Democrats to show more flexibility, saying, “There is nothing more to discuss here—just reopen the government.”

Earlier in the day, Trump had warned that if the Senate failed again, mass layoffs of government employees would begin. Thousands of federal workers have already been working without pay for the past five days due to depleted funding.

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has denied claims of ongoing discussions with Trump, writing on social media platform X, “This is not true.”

The White House's Office of Management and Budget has already begun the process of preparing for layoffs in affected agencies.