WASHINGTON – The federal government shutdown rolled on to Day 10 on Friday after senators the day before voted down dueling funding bills for the seventh time.
With both sides not budging from their positions, it appears increasingly likely the shutdown will crash into the weekend and the next week.
The Senate on Thursday defeated a Republican-backed bill to fund the government through Nov. 21, in a 54-45 vote that fell shy of the 60 votes it needs to override a Democratic filibuster. Democrats continue to demand changes to health care policy be included in any funding bill.
President Donald Trump doubled down on his threats to cut what he called “Democrat programs” from the government if the shutdown keeps dragging on.
“We’re going to be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren’t popular with Republicans, frankly, because that’s the way this works,” President Trump says. “They wanted to do this, so we’ll give them a little taste of their own medicine.”
Trump is scheduled to travel to the Middle East on Sunday to celebrate the signing of a peace deal between Isarel and Hamas. It’s unclear how long he will be there.
Trump won’t commit to extending health care subsidies
After expressing openness earlier this week on a deal with Democratic to extend health care subsidies, Trump is now pushing back on the issue.
Democrats in Congress have demanded that extending the health care subsidies be included in any funding bill to reopen the government – something Republicans in Congress have refused to entertain until the shutdown is over.
During a Thursday Cabinet meeting, Trump accused Democrats of using healthcare costs “as a cudgel” and argued Republicans have become the party of improving healthcare.
“We are the ones who are saving health care,” Trump said.
Trump on Wednesday was noncommittal when asked whether he supports extending the subsidies in the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year. If not extended, insurance premiums are expected to double for millions of Americans.
“All I want to do is very simple. I want to get the country open, and then we’ll discuss that,” Trump said when asked whether he wants to extend the subsidies.
Trump, Republicans jump all over Schumer remark
Trump and Republicans spent Thursday hammering Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer for comments he made claiming that as the shutdown drags on, “Every day gets better for us.”
Schumer, who made the remarks to Punchbowl News, was referring to the political position of Democrats as the shutdown continues. He argued that because Republicans control the Senate, House and Senate, they are getting more of the blame for the shutdown.
But Republican quickly used Schumer’s remarks against him.
“Chuck Schumer proclaimed this morning that every day gets better for them. No, it’s actually getting worse for them,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “This is a confession that he’s acting not to serve the people but to serve the partisan interests of his party. And I don’t think he’s serving them well.”
“Who does he mean by us,” said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, from the Senate floor. “Not the military who’s not getting paid, not the Border Control that’s not getting paid, not the air traffic controllers who aren’t getting paid. Who is us? He’s playing a game.”