Speaker Mike Johnson has stepped up his attack on Senate Democrats, keeping the House of Representatives in session for the sixth week running.
It is only a few days until the shutdown will surpass the record of 35 days set by 2018-2019. With no end in sight to the shutdown, many Americans may start feeling its effects.
Senate Democrats now have beaten down the short-term funding legislation of House Republicans 13 times. There are a few signs of compromise, but the leaders from both parties are not budge.
The Senate instead packed up, left the city and will return on Monday. This is after failing yet again to pass a funding measure.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, which provides food stamps to 42 million Americans, is expected run out of federal funds on Saturday. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits are at risk as well, even though the Trump Administration shifted money to it earlier in the month. Head Start, which assists low-income parents with children under age 5, is also facing a similar cliff.
The Republicans’ plan, which includes a seven-week clean extension of the current budget levels, plus $88 millions to protect the White House and judiciary, has received bipartisan approval on the basis of security. Democrats, however, are angry that they weren’t included in the negotiations.
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The big request is to keep Obamacare subsidies that were given during the pandemic era, but which expire in 2025. GOP leaders have said they are open to reforms in the future, but will not include them as part of a temporary bill.
Democrats bet that the start of open enrollment on Saturday would make Republicans cave. Johnson hasn’t budged yet.
Johnson, who has been in the House since September 19, is refusing to allow the House to leave the House because of loud Democratic protests that Republicans “are on vacation” and the government shut down. Johnson says it is the Senate Democrats that need to take action first. Johnson has told GOP legislators to remain in their district, inform voters of the impact, and assist them with the fallout.
The majority of House Republicans still support him. The frustration has boiled over. Fox News Digital reports that Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) and Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) all raised questions about the GOP’s strategy during a call held privately on Tuesday.
Johnson is betting that Democrats will blink first before the families feel any squeeze.
