Government Shutdown Continues

A vote to end the government shutdown and extend federal funding for seven weeks failed in the U.S. Senate Wednesday by a vote of 55-45. The tally was the same as a Tuesday afternoon vote in the Senate that inevitably led to the federal government shutting down at 12:01 EST Wednesday. The failure to reach the 60 votes needed to approve the measure means the shutdown could head into Friday, as the Senate will not be in session to vote Thursday in observance of Yom Kipper.

U.S. Senator John Barrasso, Senate Majority Whip, spoke on the Senate Floor Wednesday and said Americans are against a government shutdown.

According to an Associated Press article, President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans not just for furloughs, which are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers over the next couple of days.