After failing nine times, the Senate on Thursday failed to reopen the government for the 10th time as the shutdown stretches into its third week. This was the third time this week that the Senate considered the House-backed GOP measure, but the vote margins did not budge and the bill failed 51-45. It needed 60 votes to advance. Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) and John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) voted for the proposal as did Senator Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Conservative Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) voted “no” because the seven-week continuing resolution prolongs Biden-era spending levels.
There’s still more on the upper chamber’s schedule Thursday, however, as it pivots to a vote on an $852 billion defense appropriations bill later this afternoon. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) scheduled the vote in an effort to put Democrats on the record if they block the measure, as Republicans spotlight how the shutdown is impacting national security. It also comes as the GOP is seeking to grab momentum back from the Democrats. Leader Thune has proposed adding other appropriations bills to the defense measure to fund Democratic priorities, such as the Departments of Health and Human Services, however Democrats are expected to block the defense spending bill. The full-year bill is the result of a bipartisan appropriations process and passed out of committee on a 26-3 vote earlier this year. And it would fund military paychecks that could be on the line again if the shutdown drags on until the end of the month. At the same time, Democrats want to appear steadfast in their opposition to the Trump administration, and note that they’ve gotten no guarantees about what Republicans could attach to the Defense bill once it clears Thursday’s procedural hurdle.
For today, the Senate will take up the Motion to invoke cloture on motion to proceed to Cal. #168, H.R.5371, Continuing Resolution, followed by a Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #460 Harold D. Mooty III, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. Later in the day, the Senate may take up a Motion to invoke cloture on motion to proceed to Cal. #136, H.R.4016 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026.
