Oct. 3 (UPI) — The government shutdown continues into Monday afternoon after the Senate failed to approve one of two proposed temporary funding measures on Friday.
The Senate voted 54-44 on a Republican-sponsored and House-approved continuing resolution that would have funded the federal government for another seven weeks while negotiating a budget for the 2026 fiscal year that started on Wednesday.
The measure needs at least 60 votes to overcome a potential filibuster and go to President Donald Trump for signing.
A counterproposal by Senate Democrats that would fund the federal government through the end of October but would add $1.5 trillion in spending and was defeated by a 46-52 vote.
The Senate convened at 11:30 a.m. EDT and adjourned at 3:57 p.m. following the defeat of the two temporary funding proposals.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., earlier said the government could reopen as soon as a funding bill is passed, but the Senate won’t reconvene until 3 p.m. on Monday.
Thune briefly discussed matters with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., during Friday’s floor votes but said he likely would have more success by meeting with others in the Senate Democrats’ caucus, CBS News reported.
Many senators were hopeful of reaching an agreement to end the legislative impasse and reopen the government, but Schumer urged his colleagues to oppose the House resolution, according to The Hill.
The GOP reportedly is willing to extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act after they expired on Tuesday.
With the GOP controlling 53 Senate seats, it would need support from all Republican Senators and seven more from the Democratic Caucus to approve the House-approved measure, but Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been the lone dissenting Republican vote.
Thune earlier said the Senate will adjourn until Monday if the Senate does not approve one of the funding resolutions, which would extend the federal government through the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has halted $2.1 billion in federal funding for public transportation infrastructure in Chicago and $18 billion for projects in New York City.
The Trump administration also canceled $7.5 billion in funding for energy projects in states carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election.
President Donald Trump said his administration also will determine which federal agencies will be defunded and possibly eliminated.
