U.S. govt shuts down as Democrats, Republicans fight over funding bill

U.S. govt shuts down as Democrats, Republicans fight over funding bill

The U.S. government entered a shutdown on Wednesday as Democrats and Republican lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a funding bill for government operations.

Funding Bill, in the U.S. system, refers to a legislative process for budget appropriation that enables the government to operate. Failure to pass it within the deadline often leads to a government shutdown, with some federal agencies shut down and some federal workers furloughed.

Wednesday’s government shutdown marks another episode of shutdown under Mr Trump, following the last one in 2019.

This year’s follow-up disagreement centered on Democrats’ push for the extension of expiring health care subsidies and the restoration of the Medicaid cut enacted in Mr Trump’s tax cut policy.

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Both Republicans and Democrats have traded blame over the shutdown that could disrupt the government’s operations and trigger job losses.

Mr Trump said his government could go ahead with irreversible moves that would hurt the interests of the Democrats.

“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” Mr Trump said.

Responding to Mr Trump’s statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Well, there it is. Trump admitted himself that he is using Americans as political pawns. He is admitting that he is doing the firing of people. If God forbid it happens, he’s using Americans as pawns.

“As I said, Democrats did not want a shutdown. We stand ready to work with Republicans to find a bipartisan compromise, and the ball is in their court.”

U.S. govt shuts down as Democrats, Republicans fight over funding bill