U.S. Senate rejects two new attempts to reopen the federal government

Washington.- Washington.- The United States Senate again rejected two budget proposals this Friday, one from the Republicans and another from the Democrats, to end the federal government shutdown, which began on Wednesday. As happened on Tuesday and Wednesday, neither of the two proposals obtained the necessary support of the 60 senators to move forward. The one presented by the Republicans had 54 votes against and 44 in favor; and the one by the Democrats obtained 52 against and 46 in favor. Democratic Senators John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada broke their party's voting discipline and supported the Republican proposal, as did independent Senator Angus King of Maine, as they did in previous votes. However, Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against it.

This lack of consensus among the senators prolongs the government shutdown while federal agencies remain closed and hundreds of employees cannot work.

It is not expected that there will be any more votes for the rest of the day or during the weekend, so, unless there is a change, the federal government will remain closed until next Monday. To support the project presented by the Republicans, the Democrats are asking for the renewal of the subsidies of the Obamacare health program that expire this year and for the revocation of the cuts in health matters included in the budget law promoted by the president, Donald Trump, the Big Beautiful Bill. Republicans, for their part, accuse them of wanting to intentionally shut down the Government and of wanting to provide medical attention to undocumented immigrants.

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"There's nothing to negotiate," Senate Republican leader John Thune said at a press conference before the vote. Although Republicans control the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the White House, Democrats are taking advantage of their minority in the upper house to pressure Trump's people who, although they have a majority, need at least seven votes from the liberals to reach the 60 votes needed. Meanwhile, the president has threatened to take advantage of this situation to continue reducing the public administration and has ordered the Office of Management and Budget to instruct the various agencies to identify programs classified as non-essential to activate layoffs if the federal shutdown is prolonged.