2025-10-08 19:41
publication
2025-10-08 19:41
On Wednesday, the US Senate once again failed to pass the provisional budget, extending the paralysis of the functioning of the federal administration that has been going on for a week. The ongoing impasse could mean that federal workers may soon not receive the wages they are owed on time.
The results of Wednesday's vote – the fifth since the start of the shutdown – were similar to the previous ones. The project of a “clean” temporary budget extension, which was valid until September 30, was supported by 54 senators, while 45 were against, which was not enough to exceed the required threshold of 60 votes. As before, three Democrats joined the majority Republicans and one Republican joined the Democrats. One senator from the ruling party was absent. Earlier, the Senate also rejected the draft interim budget submitted by the Democrats.
The fiasco means that the shutdown that has been ongoing since the beginning of October, i.e. the cessation of work of a large part of the federal administration, will continue. So far, there are no signs of a possible agreement or compromise. Democrats are blocking the adoption of the provisional measure because they demand the restoration of expiring subsidies for private health insurance under the Obamacare system. The projections they cite suggest that without subsidies, insurance costs for millions of Americans could more than double.
Republicans and the White House maintain the position that they are ready to talk on this topic, but after the shutdown ends. However, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, said in a conversation with journalists on Wednesday that he did not trust the promises of the ruling party and that a mere verbal commitment would not satisfy him.
– We have to solve the problem (…) We're not going to go to something like, 'Oh, let's discuss it,' and then (House Speaker Mike) Johnson just blocks it because he's so afraid,” Schumer said.
On Tuesday, the Democrats' demand was unexpectedly supported by the leading representative of the extreme wing of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, Marjorie Taylor Greene. In turn, a member of the Democratic caucus in the Senate, Senator Angus King, who was one of the three rebels among the Democrats, suggested that he might change his vote.
President Donald Trump and the White House, meanwhile, continue their strategy of pressuring Democrats. Trump suggested on Tuesday that some of the 750,000 federal employees sent on forced leave may – contrary to the applicable law – not receive payment for this period and again announced possible mass layoffs of officials. Previously, the Trump administration froze or canceled a number of infrastructure projects and green energy investments in Democratic-led states.
If the crisis does not end by the end of the week, it will mean that more than a million federal workers will not be paid on time. They receive salaries on the 10th of the month, while soldiers – on the 1st and 15th. According to Bloomberg, the prevailing view among market analysts is that the shutdown will end before the latter date. The longest paralysis so far lasted 35 days and occurred at the turn of 2018 and 2019, also during Trump's presidency.
From Washington Oskar Gózyński (PAP)
osk/ap/
