Government shutdown impacts federal workers, businesses across DC
Vote to end government shutdown fails
The federal government has shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to reach a deal on funding sending ripple effects across the region, with federal workers facing an uncertain future.
WASHINGTON - The federal government has shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to reach a deal on funding sending ripple effects across the region, with federal workers facing an uncertain future.
What we know:
There were three votes in the Senate on Wednesday to end the shutdown — all of which failed.
The latest GOP-led funding bill that would have kept government operations open through Nov. 21 failed in a 55 to 45 vote.
Senators also voted 53 to 47 against a Democratic proposal that would have linked funding to their healthcare priorities through October.
The latest vote did show some cracks in the Democrats' resolve, with two Democrats voting for the GOP legislation, but it still wasn’t enough for a breakthrough.
Sixty votes are needed to pass a stopgap bill and Republican and Democratic leaders maintain that they're not backing down on their positions.
What they're saying:
Democrats are holding firm on demands to make healthcare subsidies that lower costs for millions of Americans permanent.
Republicans are not budging, saying a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government is more important right now.
"Whatever those disagreements are, you don't shut down the government over it," Vice President J.D. Vance said. "They're now saying unless we get every policy item we demand, we're going to shut down the government. They're trying to take a hostage and we're not going to let them."
After hours of talks, the U.S. Senate adjourned on Wednesday with no path forward to reopen the government and lawmakers on both sides are playing the blame game.
"It was very clear behind closed doors that the President hasn't fully grasped the magnitude of the disaster he's causing Americans," Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said.
"This is totally avoidable. It is a decision they are going to have to make and if the government shuts down, it is on the Senate Democrats," Majority Leader John Thune said.
Local perspective:
"I've got 50,000 fed workers in my District. They've been telling me, we must hang tough for the healthcare rights of the people cheers," Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said.
"If Donald Trump wants to negotiate in good faith, then address the issue of the crisis in healthcare. If they want to talk about it, that's what we've said we want to do," Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said.
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Impacts to the workforce:
Federal workers are bearing the brunt of this shutdown as the White House says layoffs are imminent.
"There are Feds and military that live paycheck to paycheck — some who are also on food stamps, and it’s going to impact them," said Kelly Daily, a federal employee.
Dig deeper:
Meanwhile, U.S. airlines have warned that a shutdown could strain flights as air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are forced to work without pay at a time when the agency struggles with staffing.
The Department of Transportation says 11,000 FAA employees are set to be furloughed.
What's next:
Many lawmakers are celebrating and showing respect for the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, so that guarantees a shutdown until at least Friday, but it’s likely to extend far beyond that.
When the session resumes, the Senate is expected to take up several votes to try to reopen the government, but the expectation is that unless something drastic happens, those votes will fail.