Murkowski Switches to Back Funding Bill; Shutdown Looms

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she will switch her vote to back the House‑passed short-term continuing resolution hours before the fiscal‑year deadline, after earlier voting against it. She had proposed an alternative to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies for a year and block an OMB clawback, and said she could not allow a shutdown to force layoffs of Alaska’s federal workforce or cancel contractor payments. Her announced switch joins Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich in support, but Senate leaders still face a 60‑vote threshold and earlier floor votes — including a 55–45 GOP measure — failed to clear it. The Senate adjourned without resolving funding and the White House Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to begin executing shutdown plans. House Democrats mounted public pressure, including a “Stop the Shutdown” livestream, as negotiations continue and Murkowski said she was not optimistic a shutdown would be avoided.