Jeffries Urges Trump to End Weeks-Long Shutdown

The federal government remains shut after more than three weeks, with the Senate for the 12th time failing to advance the House-passed stopgap funding bill amid repeated procedural votes. Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer say they will not reopen without ironclad extensions of Affordable Care Act subsidies, while Republicans insist they will not negotiate until funding is restored. The stalemate is producing real harms: SNAP benefits for millions could be jeopardized and Veterans Affairs operations are strained, prompting VA Secretary Doug Collins to urge lawmakers to reopen as furloughs and suspended transition programs continue. House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have publicly urged President Trump to intervene to end the shutdown, warning of political consequences and potential cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Democrats are drafting a bill to pay all federal workers during the lapse while Senate Republicans propose paying only "essential" employees, and House leaders say they would reconvene if pay legislation passes the Senate. The impasse has also spilled into state and campaign politics—prompting a Louisiana special session and heightening scrutiny of competitive Senate primaries—and Sen. Jeff Merkley’s near-24-hour floor speech underscored intensified Democratic pressure to break the stalemate.