13th Time Wasn't Lucky for Bill to End Shutdown

The second-longest government shutdown in US history dragged into its 28th day Tuesday, with the Senate again unable to break a deadlock over funding. For the 13th time, Senate Democrats blocked a GOP spending bill, insisting on protections for health care funding, the Guardian reports. The latest defeat for the House-passed bill, which would have funded federal agencies through Nov. 21, came a day after the largest federal workers' union urged Congress to end the impasse. The vote Tuesday was 54-45, with the same two Democratic senators and one independent who caucus with Democrats supporting the measure, as in the previous 12 votes, the Hill reports.

"Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight," said union president Everett Kelley. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said his party isn't budging, pointing to looming spikes in Affordable Care Act premiums and arguing that Republicans are failing families facing rising health care costs. "I get where they're coming from. We want the shutdown to end too," Democratic Sen. Tina Smith said, per the Hill. "But fundamentally, if Trump and Republicans continue to refuse to negotiate with us to figure out how to lower health care costs, we're in the same place that we've always been."

Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, counter that Democrats are being irresponsible, especially with food stamp funding set to run out on Saturday. "It's not very often that I get a chance to say this, but I agree with the AFGE," Thune said, referring to the federal workers' union. He said he would negotiate on tax credits, but not "with a gun to our heads." Some 25 states plus Washington DC are suing the administration over food stamps.