Hopes of ending the U.S. government shutdown dimmed further on Sunday, as both Republican and Democratic leaders signaled little willingness to compromise on a short-term funding deal.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dismissed the Republican-backed stopgap bill, which would keep the government running through November 21, as a “partisan Republican spending bill.” Though the measure maintains Biden-era spending levels, Democrats say it embeds “massive cuts” to social programs included in Donald Trump’s domestic policy package.
At the heart of the standoff are disagreements over healthcare funding. Democrats are demanding the restoration of Medicaid cuts and an extension of enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have resisted, insisting that such negotiations can only take place once the government reopens.
“They’re trying their best to distract the American people from the simple fact that they’ve chosen a partisan fight so they can prove to their Marxist rising base that they’re willing to fight Trump and Republicans,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in an interview with Fox News.
Jeffries, meanwhile, accused Republicans of “governing by crisis” and prioritizing political theatre over solutions. He said Democrats want a “broader bipartisan conversation” about reforming what he called America’s “broken healthcare system.”
The impasse has entered its third week, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers either furloughed or working without pay. Economists warn that an extended shutdown could slow growth in the final quarter of the year.
Johnson also revealed he had spoken with Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has expressed concerns about rising insurance premiums and the political fallout for the GOP. Johnson said Republicans are “working around the clock” on the issue and invited Greene to join ongoing committee discussions.
With both parties dug in, there is no clear path forward — and Americans remain caught in the crossfire of another Washington stalemate.
