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The US federal government drew closer to a shutdown on Friday, after Democrats opposed a Republican-backed measure that would extend funding for another two months, saying it did not include provisions to protect healthcare programs.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved the spending bill on a near party line vote, with only Maine Democrat Jared Golden breaking with his party to vote in favor. The Senate will consider the measure later in the day, but its chances of passage are slim, since it will need at least some Democratic support to clear the 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster.
Democrats’ rejection of the GOP’s proposal to keep the government open through 21 November sets up a showdown over spending that, if not resolved, could see federal departments and agencies close and workers furloughed at the end of September, when the current funding authorization expires.
“We don’t work for Donald Trump, we don’t work for JD Vance, we don’t work for Elon Musk, we work for the American people,” said Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat. “And that is why we are a hard no on the partisan Republican spending bill because it continues to gut the healthcare of everyday Americans.”
Democrats, who were relegated to the minority in both chambers of Congress last year, have seized on the funding negotiations to take a stand against Trump’s healthcare policies. They released legislation to fund the government through the end of October that would undo cuts to Medicaid, the healthcare program for poor and disabled Americans, which Republicans approved earlier in the year. They have also proposed extending subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans that are set to expire at the end of 2025.
Both parties’ measures are intended to give congressional appropriators more time to pass the 12 bills that authorize federal spending for the fiscal year. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the Democratic proposal later on Friday, but it is not expected to receive enough votes from Republicans to pass.
Speaking on the floor after the House vote, John Thune, the Republican Senate majority leader, called the Democratic proposal “fundamentally unserious”.
“Instead of working with Republicans to fund the government through a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution, so that we can get back to bipartisan negotiations on appropriations, Democrats are yielding to the desires of their rabidly leftist base and are attempting to hold government funding hostage to a long list of partisan demands,” he said.
Little time remains for lawmakers to reach a compromise. The House and Senate are scheduled to be in recess next week for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, and return on 29 September – a day before funding expires.
