A partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government entered its third day on Monday after Congress failed to approve a budget funding package before the statutory deadline, with key lawmakers warning that funding votes may still be days away.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday he believes Republicans have enough votes to pass a funding bill and end the shutdown by Tuesday, telling NBC’s ”Meet the Press” that the chamber faces “a logistical challenge” getting members back to Washington amid severe winter travel disruptions, according to Reuters.
The shutdown began early Saturday after the House of Representatives did not act on a Senate-approved spending package that would fund most government operations and provide a temporary extension for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Senate passed the bill on Friday in a bipartisan vote, but because the House was not in session before funding lapsed, the partial shutdown took effect, The Guardian reported.
At the heart of the dispute are deep disagreements over immigration enforcement policy, particularly funding and operational reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Democrats have demanded significant policy changes, including mandatory body cameras and limits on agency operations, before providing procedural support for quick passage of the funding bill, according AP.
The temporary Senate deal separates DHS funding to allow up to two weeks of additional negotiations on these contentious issues; if passed, other federal agencies such as the Pentagon and Labor Department would remain funded under the broader appropriations package. But Democrats remain reluctant to back the current terms without broader immigration enforcement reforms, Reuters reported.
While many essential government functions continue to operate under contingency plans, non-essential services have halted, and some federal employees face furloughs or working without pay until the appropriations impasse is resolved, The Guardian noted.
