Washington: Stalemate deepens as talks collapse
Efforts to quickly end the United States government shutdown stalled on Wednesday (October 1) after senators rejected a plan aimed at resolving the impasse between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats.
With no deal in sight, many federal departments and agencies have remained shut since midnight. An estimated 7.5 lakh federal employees are expected to be placed on furlough, with salaries withheld until they return to work. Essential workers, including military personnel and border security agents, have been asked to report for duty without pay. Officials warned that some employees may miss their upcoming paycheques if the deadlock continues.
Trump pushes his agenda amid closures
The shutdown comes at a time when Trump has been pressing to downsize government departments. The White House cautioned that certain furloughs could lead to permanent job cuts.
“A lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” Trump told reporters. “We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want. They’d be Democrat things,” he added, suggesting that the crisis could help him reshape the federal workforce.
Democrats demand healthcare subsidies
On the other side, Senate Democrats have been demanding an extension of healthcare subsidies for low-income families. They refused to support the House-passed stop-gap funding bill without such concessions.
House Republicans had cleared a temporary spending measure to keep federal functions running until late November. However, the Senate—where 60 votes are needed—blocked the measure. Democrats have insisted they will not support any bill that excludes provisions for health benefits and other key programmes.
Bitter talks and rising political tensions
Negotiations between the two parties have been unusually bitter. Trump mocked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on social media, intensifying partisan divisions.
Republican leaders in the Senate had hoped to win over a few Democrats to push the bill through, but their attempts failed. Analysts warn that the standoff could affect government services for weeks if neither side softens its stance.
Congress adjourns for holiday
Adding to delays, Congress will not meet on Thursday due to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The Senate is expected to resume work on Friday and could continue through the weekend if necessary. The House of Representatives, however, is scheduled to return only next week, raising concerns that the shutdown may stretch longer.
Conclusion
With both sides holding firm to their positions, the prospects of an immediate compromise appear dim. The shutdown has already impacted hundreds of thousands of government workers, with ripple effects likely to spread across sectors. Unless negotiations progress when lawmakers reconvene, the United States faces the possibility of a prolonged disruption to federal operations.