Shutdown Day 9: Stalemate continues with another failed Senate vote
The U.S. Capitol in July. Credit: Getty Images/Al Drago
"Stop the madness!" urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday to Democrats, but there emerged little sign on the ninth day of the U.S. government shutdown of any bipartisan exit ramp.
For a seventh time, Johnson’s House-approved GOP bill to refund agencies failed to advance in the Senate, in a 54-45 vote. The GOP needs eight votes from across the political aisle to help move the bill, but that number stayed at just three, where it has been.
Democrats continued to demand that language be added to renew Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire in January to protect millions of Americans from significant premium cost spikes next year.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of "using health care as a cudgel." He returned to warning that government programs could be cut if the shutdown doesn't end.
"We'll be making cuts that will be permanent, and we're only going to cut Democrat programs," Trump said.
Amid this back and forth, military service members remained uncertain whether they will get their next scheduled paycheck next Wednesday because those would have to be processed by Monday.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville), a potential GOP candidate for New York governor next year, broke ranks with Johnson to echo more than 100 members from both parties calling for a standalone vote to pay the military during the shutdown.
Still, Johnson continued to indicate he’s not bringing the House back to session to do that, and won’t do so until government is reopened.
"We’ve done our work," Johnson reiterated Thursday during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, referring to the GOP bill the House passed on Sept. 19 that could reopen government with new funding. That was the last day the House voted.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) later resurrected his own line about mental stability, saying the definition of insanity is putting the same bill on the Senate floor "over and over and over again and expecting a different result."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also offered no hint at backing off, demanding the renewal of the Obamacare tax credits. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has indicated he’d allow a vote on that, but only after government is reopened.
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