The Senate on Wednesday — the primary day of a government shutdown — as soon as once more did not move payments geared toward funding the federal government as congressional leaders proceed to commerce blame for the shutdown.
Negotiations look like underway, and Friday is the subsequent alternative for the Senate to vote on authorities funding — leaving many Individuals to surprise what’s subsequent with the shutdown.
The Senate held two votes on funding payments that mirrored the failed votes they took on Tuesday, leading to a authorities shutdown that took impact at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Each failed — ensuing within the authorities shutdown persevering with.
A closed signal stands in entrance of the Nationwide Archives on the primary day of a authorities shutdown, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
What’s subsequent?
After the failing of the payments Wednesday morning, the Senate is predicted to take votes on different issues within the afternoon after which they’re anticipated to depart for Yom Kippur. Although issues may all the time change if some type of deal is struck.
The Senate will not be anticipated to carry any extra votes on authorities funding till Friday on the earliest, all however assuring this shutdown stretches on not less than till Friday.
Bipartisan path ahead?
Throughout Wednesday’s vote on whether or not to advance a seven-week stopgap funding invoice, a big bipartisan huddle of senators gathered. The group included numerous intently watched moderates together with Sens. Gary Peters, Jacky Rosen, Raphael Warnock, Ruben Gallego, Ben Ray Lujan and extra.
Lawmakers who left that huddle advised ABC Information that the conversations they have been having have been preliminary. Nevertheless it’s clear a bipartisan group is coming collectively that’s searching for some type of shutdown off ramp.
“The Democrats who you noticed there are looking for a great religion strategy to transfer ahead, get the ACA tax credit that we would like, and likewise a few of the appropriations that they’re asking for,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, who was a part of the group, advised reporters.
One of many potentialities being floated among the many group embody making an attempt to move a shorter-term authorities funding invoice to permit some extra respiratory room for negotiations on the Inexpensive Care Act tax credit score extensions that Democrats say they need, in accordance with sources.
Sen. Mike Rounds, who seemed to be among the many key GOP negotiators within the huddle, stated Republicans try to persuade a gaggle of Democrats that opening the federal government again up would create the very best avenue to proceed negotiations on well being care.
“We’re making an attempt to persuade them that is the precise factor to do: discover the trail ahead, get the ten votes or extra to maneuver ahead with this, after which let’s go proper to work on fixing the problems that they have been involved about,” Rounds stated.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal stated that there’s “lots of bipartisan hope” that the shutdown could be as “quick and costless as potential” — including that negotiations could be ongoing.
“There are actual and vital glimmers of hope that we may have a gathering of the minds,” Blumenthal stated.
Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, who has been main Senate Democrats of their blockade in opposition to a brief time period funding invoice except well being care wants or met, was not within the huddle. However he appeared inspired by it.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune advised reporters on Wednesday that he was conscious of the bipartisan huddle and that he’s additionally engaged in discussions with members of each side to give you an answer to fund the federal government.
Wednesday’s votes
The primary vote that failed within the Senate was, as soon as once more, a procedural vote on the Democrats’ authorities funding proposal that features the well being care provisions they have been in search of. It failed by a vote of 47-53. As was the case on Tuesday evening, each Democrat voted for it and each Republican voted in opposition to it.
The second vote within the sequence was a procedural vote on the clear, Home-backed Republican stop-gap funding invoice that failed Tuesday evening. Democrats continued to carry the road throughout Wednesday’s vote, main it to fail with a vote of 55-45.
Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman, in addition to impartial Angus King, voted — as that they had Tuesday — with Republicans to advance the GOP funding answer. However no extra Democrats broke ranks throughout the vote sequence. Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted no, so Republicans would have wanted to select up not less than 5 extra Democrats to advance this invoice, which wanted 60 votes to move.
Thune stated that Republicans are on the hunt for these few extra Democrats to help their clear, quick time period funding invoice.
Senate leaders place blame on opposing get together
In flooring remarks forward of the Wednesday votes, each leaders opened by blaming the opposite get together.
“Right here we’re, Democrats have bowed to the far left they usually’ve shut down the federal authorities,” Thune stated on the ground. “As of this morning crucial federal staff together with members of the navy, border patrol brokers and air visitors controllers are working with out pay and numerous authorities providers are unavailable or in danger.”
Schumer, in the meantime, stated “Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us right into a shutdown as a result of they refuse to guard America’s well being care.”
Schumer, in his speech, stated Republicans will not be capable to “bully” Democrats into stepping down from their calls for that well being care be addressed as a part of authorities funding.
At a press convention Wednesday morning, Thune stated Democrats “have taken the American folks hostage in a manner that they suppose advantages them politically, on the consequence of the price of what is going on to occur to the American households if this authorities shutdown continues.”
Senate Majority Chief John Thune speaks throughout a information convention with Republican Congressional management outdoors the US Capitol on the primary day of the US authorities shutdown in Washington, October 1, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Photographs
Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Democrats throughout the Wednesday morning press convention.
“Each single little bit of this was solely avoidable,” Johnson stated, including that Democrats ought to move the clear CR as they did within the Home.
“Democrats in Congress have dragged our nation into one other reckless shutdown to fulfill their far-left base,” Johnson stated. “Whether or not or not the federal government stays open or reopens is solely as much as them.”
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson speaks at a information convention with Republican Congressional management outdoors the US Capitol on the primary day of the US authorities shutdown in Washington, October 1, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
Democrats hit again throughout a press convention of their very own Wednesday morning.
“Republicans management the Senate, the Home and the White Home. They want Democratic votes to fund the federal government, so it is on them to speak with us,” Home Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Pete Aguilar stated.
Home Democratic Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar and Rep. Ted Lieu discuss to reporters following a caucus assembly on the U.S. Capitol Guests Middle, October 1, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs
On Tuesday, Schumer urged Republicans to return to the negotiating desk.
“So, we need to sit down and negotiate, however the Republicans cannot do it of their partisan manner, the place they only say ‘It is our manner or the freeway,’” Schumer reiterated at a information convention following Senate votes Tuesday evening.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer speaks to the members of the media throughout a press convention, following Senate Democrats weekly coverage lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 30, 2025.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs
Schumer rehashed the failed votes on the Senate flooring — inserting the blame on Republicans who “have did not get sufficient votes to keep away from a shutdown.”
ABC Information’ Lauren Peller and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
