US Government Faces Shutdown as Funding Disputes Persist

The United States is on the brink of a government shutdown as Congress fails to agree on funding beyond the current deadline. Republicans in the House have passed a short-term funding bill to keep the government operational through mid-November, but Senate Democrats have blocked it, demanding restoration of Medicaid cuts and extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. President Donald Trump has blamed Democrats for the impasse, refusing to meet with their leaders and calling their demands "unserious and ridiculous." The potential shutdown threatens significant economic repercussions, especially in the Washington D.C. region, where prior federal cuts have already strained the economy, with possible mass firings of government workers beyond typical furloughs. Critics argue that Republicans, who hold a Senate majority, could avoid the shutdown by eliminating the Senate filibuster rule that requires 60 votes to pass funding but have refrained from doing so. As the deadline approaches, political divisions and failed negotiations have heightened concerns about the economic and social impacts of a prolonged shutdown and federal worker layoffs.