A bitter standoff over government funding is escalating in Washington ahead of a high-stakes White House meeting on Monday, with both parties trading blame for the looming shutdown and showing few signs of compromise.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dug in over the weekend as the deadline to keep the government open approaches. Lawmakers have until 12:01 a.m. Wednesday to pass a funding extension or trigger a shutdown that could furlough federal workers, disrupt essential services, and inject fresh uncertainty into an already fragile economy.
Republicans are pushing for a straightforward short-term funding bill, passed by the House, that would keep the government open for another seven weeks while negotiations continue on longer-term spending. They say Democrats are holding the process hostage by demanding talks on health care and other priorities before agreeing to the stopgap measure.
“A shutdown is totally up to the Democrats,” Thune said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “The ball is in their court. There’s a bill sitting at the desk in the Senate right now that would keep the government open.”
Democrats counter that they will not agree to any deal without assurances on key issues, particularly the future of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, which are set to expire at year’s end. These credits, expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, have made health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans.
“We’re hearing from the American people that they need help on health care,” Schumer said. “God forbid the Republicans shut the government down — the American people will know it’s on their back.”
The Senate is expected to vote on the House-passed extension Tuesday, but Republicans will likely need at least eight Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster and send the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk. That vote is far from guaranteed, with many Democrats under pressure from their base to stand firm against GOP demands.
The White House talks — expected to include Trump, Schumer, Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) — are shaping up as a pivotal moment. Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting last week after dismissing Democrats’ proposals as “ridiculous,” but Schumer said he hopes the rescheduled meeting will lead to “serious negotiations.”
“If the president is going to rant and yell and talk about grievances, we won’t get anything done,” Schumer warned. “But my hope is this will be a serious negotiation.”
The stakes are high for both sides. Democrats fear a shutdown could allow Republicans to let the ACA tax credits expire, potentially causing premiums to spike for low- and middle-income Americans just as open enrollment begins in November. Republicans, meanwhile, are determined to portray Democrats as the obstructionists.
“It’s fine to have partisan debates and squabbles, but you don’t hold the people hostage,” Johnson said on CNN’s State of the Union. “The only thing we’re trying to do is buy a little time.”
Johnson accused Schumer of bowing to pressure from the progressive wing of his party, which has criticized him for not standing up to Trump in past budget battles. “He’s trying to get cover from the far-left base of his party,” Johnson said.
The White House has warned that a shutdown could lead to mass layoffs across the federal government and disrupt key services. Some Democrats argue the impact may be less severe than in past years, given that many federal positions have already been cut under Trump.
