Senate Democrats on Tuesday voted for the 13th time to block a House-passed bill to reopen the federal government, despite a plea this week by the nation’s largest federal workers union to end the 28-day shutdown. The House-passed measure to fund the government through November 21st failed by a 54-45 vote, it needed 60 votes to advance. Only three members of the Democratic caucus voted to advance the bill: Senators John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada) and Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) said again before the vote that Republicans need to start negotiating an extension of expiring health insurance subsidies in order to bring federal employees back to work. Tuesday’s vote came amid growing pressure on Congress to reopen the government as it nears the 30-day mark.
Lawmakers in both parties warn that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will begin to expire on November 1st and that airports around the country are experiencing more frequent delays because of the strain the shutdown is putting on air traffic controllers. In an unprecedented situation, millions of Americans could lose access to a crucial food assistance program in the coming weeks amid the federal government shutdown. The US Department of Agriculture has said it does not have the money to pay $8 billion in food stamp benefits for November amid the funding impasse. The agency argues it cannot tap into its roughly $6 billion contingency fund to cover next month’s benefits, though Democratic lawmakers and advocates claim the USDA should — or is even obligated to — use the money. Nearly 42 million people — or about 1 in 8 Americans — received food stamps in May, according to the latest USDA data.
The Senate is also voting to confirm Executive Calendar #295 Jordan Emery Pratt, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida and Executive Calendar #457 Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama.
The House remains out of session, and has not held votes since September 19th.
