Funding for the U.S. federal government expired at 11:59 PM on September 30, triggering the first government shutdown since 2018.
With the shutdown now in its second day, hundreds of thousands of federal government employees and U.S. service members will temporarily work without pay; the Smithsonian Institutions and national parks may be closed; and Social Security benefits may be delayed.
On September 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371 (the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026) in a 217-212 vote to extend government funding at current levels through November 21, 2025. The “clean” continuing resolution (CR) would extend current government funding levels, without any modifications, allowing negotiations to proceed while the government is reopened.
But Senate Democrats opposed the measure, and as a result, the U.S. Senate failed to pass H.R. 5371 in a 55-45 vote on September 30. Senators. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) were the only Democrats to vote for the CR, which needed 60 votes.
Democrats proposed their own CR with spending increases on certain pet projects. According to the Republican Study Committee, the alternative CR included the following provisions:
- $1.5 trillion in new spending, which would fuel inflation and explode the debt.
- $350 billion to permanently extend fraudulent COVID-era subsidies that enable abortion coverage and so-called “gender transition” procedures.
- Free Medicaid for 1.2 million illegal aliens while American families struggle to afford care.
- $500 million to restore funding for NPR and PBS.
- Reversing President Trump’s spending cuts in order to fund wasteful programs like global LGBTQI+ awareness campaigns.
- Stripping the President’s constitutional authority to eliminate government waste.
“Congressional Democrats are willing to shut down the government if they do not get funding for abortion,” Liberty Counsel Action said in a statement about the shutdown. “Democrats are demanding Republicans cave to their demands to pass their wish list that funds death.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “America’s Newsroom” that Democrats should pass a “clean” CR to reopen the government. “If they don’t want further harm to their constituents back home, then they need to reopen the government,” she said.
“It’s very simple,” Leavitt added. “Pass the clean continuing resolution and all of this goes away.”
Previous government shutdowns have lasted between a day and several weeks:
- 34 days in December 2018
- Two days in January 2018
- 16 days in September 2013
- 21 days in December 1995
- Five days November 1995
If a funding bill is eventually approved, federal government employees, including service members, will be paid for all hours they have worked during the shutdown.
How long with this shutdown last? It remains to be seen. But Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said he expects it to go on for at least a few more days.
“The House is coming back next week, hoping [the Senate] will be sending us something to work on, that we can get back to the work of the people,” Johnson said. “They’re anxious to come back.”
Congressional Democrats likely feel shutting down the government is the only way to act on some of their priorities.
However, elections have consequences. Last year, the American people opted to give Republicans unified control of the federal government. Opting to shut down the government likely won’t help Democrats regain control any time soon.
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Photo from Getty Images.
