As of October 20, 2025, the United States Senate once again failed to advance a House-passed funding measure aimed at reopening the federal government, marking the eleventh unsuccessful attempt since the current government shutdown began. The vote saw 50 senators in favor and 43 opposed, falling short of the 60 votes required to move the bill forward. Seven senators did not participate in the vote. Notably, no additional Democratic senators joined Republicans in supporting the bill, which would have funded the government through November 21.
The impasse underscores the severe political gridlock gripping Washington. Since the shutdown commenced, Republican leaders have struggled to garner new bipartisan support for their proposal. Although GOP leaders expressed hope that recent weekend protests dubbed the "No Kings" demonstrations might sway some Democrats to back the funding measure, the necessary five additional Democratic votes remain elusive.
At a Capitol press conference, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, sharply criticized the Republican approach. He accused House Republicans of being "divorced from reality" and described them as "wholly owned subsidiaries of Donald Trump and his extreme administration." Jeffries argued that Republicans have failed to deliver on campaign promises to reduce the cost of living, pointing to rising housing, electricity, and child care expenses. He also highlighted the impending health crisis caused by Republicans’ refusal to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, which will lead to significant premium increases for tens of millions of Americans. Jeffries emphasized that this situation threatens access to healthcare for many families and urged former President Trump to engage directly in negotiations to end the shutdown. He also revealed a recent conversation with House Speaker Mike Johnson but provided no details.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed Jeffries’ criticism on the Senate floor, branding the shutdown as "another week of Donald Trump’s government shutdown." Schumer accused Republicans of lacking willingness to negotiate and allowing healthcare premiums to spike for millions of working- and middle-class Americans. He condemned the House of Representatives for failing to hold a roll-call vote in over a month, calling it “shameful” and “derelict.” Schumer reiterated the Democratic position: they want to end the shutdown immediately and fix the ACA premium crisis, which he described as a “fix-it-now” issue due to the looming open enrollment period. Schumer urged Republicans to “wake up” and take action.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, responded by reaffirming GOP readiness to discuss Democrats’ healthcare concerns and guarantee a vote on related measures. However, he insisted that Democrats first need to reopen the government, accusing them of “holding government funding hostage.” Thune argued that Democrats bear responsibility for the current healthcare funding issues, noting that the ACA and its tax credits were created and implemented by Democrats, who also chose to sunset the credits. He blamed the shutdown largely on pressure from the Democratic “far-left base” and expressed hope that some moderate Democrats would prioritize their constituents’ needs over party politics by supporting a clean, nonpartisan funding bill.
The Senate convened at 3 p.m. on Monday, with a procedural vote on the House-passed funding bill scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Only three Democrats—Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats—have consistently voted to advance the measure alongside Republicans. At least five more Democratic senators would have to cross party lines for the bill to move forward, but no signs indicate that others are willing to do so.
The ongoing shutdown has had a significant impact on critical federal operations. Energy Secretary Chris Wright held a news conference in Nevada to warn that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the federal agency responsible for overseeing the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, has furloughed a large majority of its employees for the first time in its 25-year history. Approximately 1,400 NNSA employees nationwide have been furloughed, with only “mission-critical” personnel continuing to work. Wright explained that funds for federal workers have been exhausted, and only recently were contractors able to continue working using money allocated under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed over the summer. However, those funds will run out by the end of October, potentially leading to furloughs of up to 2,200 contractors in Nevada and approximately 100,000 nationwide. Wright emphasized the vital importance of maintaining