Senators departed Washington without a deal to end the government shutdown, ensuring that it will last into next week with both sides still deadlocked.
The upper chamber finished work for the week late on Thursday night when they passed the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included more than a dozen of amendment votes.
They will return to work on Tuesday. They will be off on Monday due to the federal holiday.
The decision means that not only will the government shutdown reach the two-week mark come Tuesday, but that military members will likely miss their first paycheck as part of the shutdown.
Earlier in the day, Senate Democrats blocked the GOP's "clean" continuing resolution (CR) for the seventh time. The bill would fund the government through late November.
The same three senators — Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), John Fetterman (Pa.) and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) — all voted with Republicans, as they have for nearly two weeks.
The two sides remain hunkered down in a bitter stalemate, with neither wanting to yield an inch. Democrats have unceasingly called for any deal to include an extension of the enhanced health care subsidies that are set to expire at year's end.
Republicans have insisted that the "clean" CR is their only offer, noting repeatedly that Democrats have voted for one more than a dozen times in recent years, and that any further discussion about the tax credits can only happen after the government reopens.
The two sides became increasingly hunkered down after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declared in an interview that Democrats were winning the political battle.
“Every day gets better for us," he told Punchbowl News.
The comment drew myriad derision from Republican senators.
"Who is ‘us’?" asked Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) during floor remarks. "Not better for the American people. ... Not the military who is not getting paid. Not the Border Patrol who are not getting paid. Not the air traffic controllers who are not getting paid."
"He’s playing a game," Barrasso added.
Source: The Hill - News
