US Government Shutdown Enters Second Week Amid Senate Stalemate

Sat Oct 11 2025 06:13:40 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The ongoing governmental shutdown in the United States is likely to deepen as Senate lawmakers fail to reach consensus on budget proposals, causing potential mass layoffs without immediate resolution.

Senators have repeatedly failed to pass spending proposals to reopen the federal government, extending the shutdown into the second week. Both Democrats and Republicans remain at odds over healthcare and budget allocations, with the White House warning of significant economic consequences if the stalemate continues. Proposals from both parties have not attained the necessary votes, leading to discussions of possible layoffs among federal employees.

U.S. Senators have for a fourth time failed to pass spending proposals to reopen the federal government, extending the ongoing shutdown into next week.

Two separate spending proposals - one from the Democrats and one from Republicans - failed to reach the required 60-vote threshold.

With both sides deadlocked, the White House on Friday said it would be left with the 'unenviable task' of mass layoffs to keep essential government services operating if the shutdown continues, which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described as 'fiscal sanity.'

The scope of those potential layoffs remains unclear but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have dug in their heels on the main point of disagreement: healthcare. Democrats hope to capitalize on the impasse to ensure health insurance subsidies for low-income individuals do not expire and reverse cuts to the Medicaid health program put in place by the previous administration.

Republicans have repeatedly accused Democrats of shutting down the government to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants, a charge that Democratic leaders have denied.

With 54 Senators voting for a Republican-led proposal, the measure fell short of approval, as did a Democrat-led initiative with 45 votes in favor.

Both sides have continued to blame one another for the shutdown, with little sign of progress in negotiations. During a press briefing, Leavitt noted that the economic consequences of the shutdown are substantial, warning about potential losses of $15 billion in GDP each week.

The White House has indicated that federal layoffs may be necessary if the deadlock continues. Earlier, President Trump suggested reassessing funding allocated to 'Democrat agencies' that do not align with his administration's priorities.

On the Senate floor, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized that Democrats are standing firm on healthcare issues, noting that many Republicans recognize the importance of providing coverage to Americans.

With public opinion divided—47% of respondents in a recent poll blaming Republicans for the shutdown, and just 30% blaming Democrats—the path forward remains unclear.