Washington, October 8, 2025 – The Europe Today: The United States Senate on Wednesday once again failed to advance measures aimed at ending the ongoing government shutdown, marking the sixth unsuccessful attempt to move forward with funding legislation.
By a vote of 54–45, the Senate did not invoke cloture on a motion to proceed with the House-passed Republican funding measure, according to media reports. Among those voting in favor were Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman, along with Independent Angus King, while Republican Rand Paul voted against the measure. Senator Ted Cruz was absent from the vote.
A separate procedural vote on the Democratic funding proposal also failed, falling short in a 47–52 party-line vote, with Cruz again not participating.
Earlier in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated his criticism of Senate Democrats, asserting that the House had fulfilled its duty by passing a “clean” 24-page continuing resolution to maintain government funding. He accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of blocking progress by refusing to bring the measure to a vote.
“The ball is now in the Senate’s court. It does us no good to be here dithering on show votes. We did it. We sent the product over. It’s the most bare minimum that’s necessary to keep the lights on for the people, and Chuck Schumer and 43 of his colleagues, Democrats, continue to do the wrong thing,” Johnson said.
In response, Schumer sharply criticized what he described as Republican “intransigence,” blaming former President Donald Trump for influencing GOP lawmakers and prolonging the shutdown.
“It’s now been a full week, a whole week, of Donald Trump’s government shutdown, and the country is feeling the sting of Republican intransigence,” Schumer stated on the Senate floor.
He added that more than 700,000 federal employees have been furloughed, with essential services disrupted nationwide. Schumer urged Republicans to join Democrats in “serious negotiations” to reopen the federal government and restore operations.
The stalemate has left critical agencies unfunded as the shutdown enters its eighth day, with no immediate resolution in sight.
