Senate Blocks Funding; Shutdown Imminent

The Senate failed to advance both a GOP stopgap and a Democratic alternative, with a 55-45 vote falling short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster and making a government shutdown virtually inevitable at midnight. Democrats rebuffed the “clean” short-term extension to press for extensions of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and to oppose proposed cuts to foreign aid. Three centrist Democrats — Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman and Angus King — joined Republicans for the GOP measure, while Sen. Rand Paul was the lone GOP No. The White House Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to execute orderly shutdown plans, and OMB guidance on Reductions in Force raised the prospect of layoffs rather than only furloughs. A White House meeting produced no breakthrough and both parties traded blame as leaders signaled little appetite for negotiations until one side changes its stance. If funding lapses, essential services such as Social Security, the mail and much of the military and homeland security will continue while many nonessential operations could be curtailed — President Trump has warned of cuts and reprisals.