The Senate on Thursday rejected dueling partisan bills to pay federal workers during the government shutdown, with both Republicans and Democrats deflecting blame as many employees are set to miss their first full paycheck at the end of this week
By Zac Anderson , Zachary Schermele , Joey Garrison , Rebecca Morin , Bart Jansen
WASHINGTON ‒ The Senate on Thursday rejected a Republican-backed bill to pay some federal employees who are working through the government shutdown as the funding fight rolls into Day 23.
The bill, known as the Shutdown Fairness Act and sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, would have paid employees such as air traffic controllers, military members, border patrol agents and other so-called "essential" workers forced to work during the shutdown. Three Democrats crossed the aisle to support the measure: Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
The bill created a tough spot for Senate Democrats as Americans call for an end to the shutdown. But Democratic leaders have argued the Trump administration shouldn't get to decide which employees are essential and which should be paid.
Democrats pushed a countermeasure to try to pay all federal employees, but the Republican-controlled Senate did not take up the proposal.
For the 12th time on Wednesday, Senate Democrats blocked Republicans' short-term funding bill to reopen the government. Democrats have demanded that extending expiring subsidies in the Affordable Care Act and reversing Republicans' Medicaid cuts be included in legislation to end the shutdown.