US Federal Shutdown Hits Day 6: Growing Fears of Layoffs and Economic Disruption

US Federal Shutdown: Monday marked the sixth day of the U.S. government shutdown, with the White House threatening to increase pressure by ordering mass layoffs of employees and President Donald Trump’s Republicans and congressional Democrats still at a standstill.

US Federal Shutdown: Senate Gridlock Over Rival Funding Bills

There were two competing bills to finance agencies that the Republican-led Senate was scheduled to vote on again: a Democratic alternative and a Republican temporary plan that was passed by the House of Representatives and would fund operations until November 21. It was anticipated that neither would get the 60 votes required to go on.

On Sunday evening, when asked when the administration will start firing employees, Trump said, “It’s taking place right now.” He did not go into detail about the layoff plans, but he blamed Democrats for the deadlock. According to the White House, if the closure continues, thousands of people might lose their jobs.

At least $28 billion in infrastructure funding for New York, California, and Illinois—all states with significant Democratic populations and anti-president sentiments—has already been stopped by Russell Vought, Trump’s budget director.

On social media, Trump and his Republican supporters have also made fun of Democrats by posting deepfake films that include graphics that Vice President JD Vance called a comedy and are based on prejudices about Mexico.

However, there was no indication that Democratic leaders would back down from the White House’s hardball tactics, which have alarmed some moderate Republicans who believe the strategy would make breaking the deadlock more difficult.

Negotiations have been conducted using deepfake videos, votes have been canceled by the House, and President Trump spent yesterday on the golf course, of course. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told NBC’s “Meet the Press” it was not responsible conduct.

On Monday, the 15th partial shutdown since 1981 equaled for the fourth-longest shutdown in U.S. history, which started six days ago in 1995 when then-President measure Clinton vetoed a Republican budget measure. During Trump’s first term in office in 2018–2019, the longest shutdown lasted 35 days.

Having health insurance is a top priority for democracies.

The House-approved financing package, known as a continuing resolution or CR, has been rejected four times by Senate Democrats who are calling for a permanent extension of government subsidies to help individuals buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Republican leaders need at least eight Democrats to back their financing package in order to maintain a 53-47 seat majority and one Republican who opposes the CR. To yet, however, just two Democrats have crossed the aisle, along with one independent who shares their caucus.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that “all we have to do is get five more Democrats to vote ‘yes,’ the government opens up, and then we can start talking about all these other things they want to have conversations about.”
However, attempts to reach an agreement have not yet succeeded.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said that any progress would need an agreement between him, Trump, Thune, Jeffries, and House Speaker Mike Johnson. “In those conversations, the Republicans offered nothing,” Schumer added.
Before the start of next year’s open enrollment on November 1, several Democrats want an agreement on ACA healthcare subsidies.

Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, told CNN, “We have to get this done by November 1,” stating that failure to do so will result in consumers paying more for healthcare and potentially not having any insurance at all.

Democrats also seek safeguards against the White House’s attempts to revoke or withhold congressionally approved cash. “They’re telling us: ‘We don’t plan to abide by it,’ if we agree to a CR and nothing else,” Democratic Senator Adam Schiff told NBC. “The legislation has to provide some written guarantee. I won’t accept a guarantee that they won’t back out of whatever agreement we reach.”

Approximately $1.7 trillion in agency operations funding, or approximately 25% of all government expenditure annually, has been blocked as a result of the deadlock. The majority of the remaining funds are used for interest payments on the mounting $37.5 trillion debt as well as health and retirement programs.