The US is lurching towards a government shutdown, as a vote to extend funding failed in the Senate and President Donald Trump threatened to extend his purge of the federal workforce.
The 55-to-45 vote in the Senate all but ensured that US government agencies will have to discontinue all but “essential” activities such as law enforcement starting on Wednesday, potentially disrupting everything from air travel to the monthly jobs report.
A last-minute fix seemed all but impossible, as Republicans and Democrats have shown no sign that they can bridge their divides.
Any agreement also would have to be approved by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which is not in session.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune said the chamber would vote again on the House-passed measure on Wednesday.
US budget stand-offs have become routine as the nation’s politics have grown more dysfunctional.
This time around, Democrats have insisted that any spending bill must include additional healthcare subsidies, while Republicans have insisted that the two issues should be dealt with separately.
Trump has added fuel to the fire. Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, he threatened to cancel programs favored by Democrats and fire more federal workers if the government shuts down.
“We’ll be laying off a lot of people,” he told reporters. “They’re going to be Democrats.”
Such layoffs would lead to a further brain drain for the government. More than 150,000 workers are due to leave federal payrolls this week after taking a buyout, the biggest exodus in 80 years. Tens of thousands more have already been fired this year.
Agencies have issued detailed shutdown plans that would close offices conducting scientific research, customer service and other “nonessential” activities and send tens of thousands of workers home without pay.
Military troops, border guards and others doing work deemed “essential” would stay on the job, but would not get paid until Congress resolves the standoff.
Airlines warned that a shutdown could slow flights, while the Labor 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, and the Environmental Protection Agency said it would suspend some pollution-cleanup efforts.
With no sign of compromise between the two sides, it is unclear how long a shutdown would play out.
Republicans say they are open to a fix, but accuse Democrats of holding the budget hostage to satisfy the demands of their base voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.
With Reuters
