Senate Vote Fails; Government Shutdown Begins

The Senate failed to advance a clean continuing resolution, losing 55-45 and sending the federal government into a shutdown. Three members of the Democratic caucus — Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman and independent Angus King — broke with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and voted with Republicans, but the measure still failed. Democrats offered a competing proposal that would have reopened the government with concessions on health care, which also did not pass. Republicans said they will keep bringing up “clean” funding bills and Senate GOP leader John Thune urged more Democrats to defect. The White House froze about $18 billion in New York infrastructure projects and warned of layoffs and program cuts as pressure on Democrats, who warned a shutdown would cede power to the Trump administration and enable conservative policy shifts.