I'm thankful to welcome you to what appears to be the beginning of the end of the longest government shutdown in US history. As shameful as that is, it's after 40 days of wandering in the wilderness and making the American people suffer needlessly, some Senate Democrats finally have stepped forward to end the pain. It appears to us this morning that our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end, and we're grateful for that.The Senate's vote last late last night of 60 to 40 opens the door now. The ...

It looks like we're getting close to the shutdown ending. >> On this vote, the yays are 60 and the naysay are 40. Three-fifths of the Senate duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative. The motion upon reconsideration is agreed to. >> The Senate is moving forward on an amended House CR, a continuing resolution that will reopen the government until January 30th. They'll need unanimous consent from all senators to fasttrack their final vote. I will call all House members to return to Washington as q ...

A lot of people are asking, why didn't we just do this floor speech and make this offer a month ago. Tim I don't know. I applaud you for carrying that floor speech because it might end up being a seminal moment here.And maybe this is, in fact, the offer that unlocks a shutdown. But I've got to say, everyone seems kind of upset in Washington today. The president's appearing angry about affordability.John Thune, the Republican leader in the Senate, was upset about the way this was handled by Chuck Schumer. Bu ...

Government Shutdown & Political Standoff - The Senate adjourned after failing to pass a continuing resolution for the 10th time, leading to a government shutdown [1] - The shutdown is attributed to a disagreement over appropriations, with Republicans accusing Democrats of blackmail by demanding acceptance of their $15 trillion proposal [5] - Republicans claim Democrats are refusing to negotiate on a clean CR (Continuing Resolution), similar to ones previously supported [3][4] - The shutdown is costing American taxpayers $400 million per day, with 750,000 employees furloughed [9] - There is an estimate that the shutdown could cost close to $1 billion per day [11] Political Strategies & Negotiations - Democrats are perceived to be waiting for a stronger negotiating position, potentially related to insurance premium increases [15][16] - The possibility of extending pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies is discussed as a potential point of negotiation, but faces Republican opposition [17][18] - The Democratic party is described as being in disarray, with internal divisions and low approval ratings [20] Impact & Consequences - Government shutdowns are viewed negatively, causing pain and suffering due to uncertainty, especially for those living paycheck to paycheck [8][9] - The shutdown impacts federal contracts, highways, roads, and defense, potentially leading to penalties [10]

Government Shutdown Standoff - The potential government shutdown is attributed to political maneuvering by Chuck Schumer and Hakee Jeffries, allegedly to appease the far-left base of their party [1][2] - A clean continuing resolution (CR) of 24 pages, passed by the House, is currently stalled in the Senate [1] - Democrats are accused of demanding the restoration of taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants and opposing previously approved funds for rural hospitals [2] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of adhering to the regular appropriations process to ensure responsible use of taxpayer resources [2] - A potential government shutdown could rattle markets and delay the release of the BLS jobs report [2] - Critical services such as troop payments, TSA agent salaries, WIC program benefits, and FEMA services could be delayed [2] ACA and Policy Debates - Democrats are using the upcoming expiration of certain ACA provisions on December 31st as leverage, despite it not being an immediate issue [3] - Republicans are calling for reforms to the ACA, arguing that it is a flawed system that subsidizes insurance companies and leads to rising premiums [2] - Discussions regarding potential changes to the ACA, such as income caps for eligibility, are expected to continue throughout October and November [2] Medicaid and Fiscal Responsibility - Changes made to Medicaid are reported to have reduced premiums and eliminated fraud, waste, and abuse, saving $185 billion [5] - The reforms aimed to strengthen the Medicaid program for its intended beneficiaries, such as low-income single mothers, persons with disabilities, and the elderly [5][6] Lawfare and DOJ Corruption - Allegations of lawfare and corruption within the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration are raised, referencing the "dirty Russian dossier" and events from the 2016 election [16] - Former FBI Director James Comey is accused of lying to Congress, leading to his indictment by a grand jury [16][17]

Government Shutdown Standoff - The potential government shutdown is being used by the Trump administration as an excuse to shrink the size of the government and gut agencies [4][5] - The administration's threat of mass firings of federal workers could backfire and give Democrats an upper hand if key federal functions are disrupted [18][19] - Democrats are skeptical of Republican proposals for a short-term continuing resolution, fearing changes to previously passed legislation [12] Political Strategies and Negotiations - President Trump initially believed Democrats would cave, but their low approval rating and voter pressure to fight the administration are significant factors [6][8] - Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated Republican leadership urged President Trump to have a meeting to avoid blame for a potential government shutdown [9] - Democrats are trying to restore healthcare benefits, arguing that the federal government should ensure Americans are taken care of [13] Republican Perspective - House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stated there is a need for rightsizing of the federal government to save billions and tens of billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse [15][16] - The administration has repeatedly rehired workers that were previously fired, raising questions about the seriousness of the threat of mass firings [16]

Government Funding & Shutdowns - The discussion revolves around the potential for a government shutdown due to disagreements on federal funding between Democrats and Republicans [1][2] - A proposal exists to eliminate shutdowns by implementing 14-day continuing appropriations at the previous year's funding levels [3][4] - The current congressional dysfunction is significant, with Democrats seeking an additional $15 trillion (15,000 billion) in spending over 10 years [5] - The House has passed a continuing resolution without additional spending, but with some "anomalies" [6] - The US has experienced 55 continuing resolutions and 12 increases or suspensions of the debt ceiling, with the national debt rising from $14 trillion to $37 trillion [12] Budgetary Reform & Spending - There's a suggestion to implement budgetary reforms, such as two-year budgets, to reduce partisanship and improve oversight [13] - The current spending level is approximately $7 trillion annually, with discretionary spending accounting for 25% of the budget [10] - Returning to pre-pandemic spending levels is desired, but maintaining current spending levels is proposed as a temporary solution [9][10] Healthcare & ACA - Disagreements exist regarding ACA subsidies, particularly temporary COVID subsidies, with concerns about potential fraud costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars [22][25] - Obamacare is cited as a cause of high insurance costs in the individual market, leading to fraud and increased expenses [23][26] - Approximately 12 million people on ACA exchanges may not be utilizing healthcare, with potential fraud involving unscrupulous agents signing people up [24][29] - Medicaid growth is also a point of contention, with concerns about the Obamacare expansion and its impact on state spending [26]

Government Funding Bill & Senate Approval - The government funding bill has passed the House and is expected to pass the Senate [2] - A clean continuing resolution was sent to the Senate, continuing the status quo without partisan elements [3][4] - The continuing resolution extends government funding to November 21st [14] Potential Government Shutdown & Political Implications - A government shutdown would negatively impact the Democrat Party and potentially lead to a Republican victory in Virginia [4] - Chuck Schumer would be primarily blamed if the government shuts down [12] - Speculation suggests Schumer might risk a shutdown to save his own political standing [13] Appropriations Process & Bipartisan Efforts - The House Appropriations Committee, comprised of both Republicans and Democrats, has passed all 12 appropriations bills [6] - House Republicans and Democrats have been in conference with their Senate counterparts, nearing completion on three bills [7][8] - The goal is to finalize the entire 26 appropriations package [8] Obamacare Subsidies & Policy Debates - Democrats aim to debate extending Obamacare subsidies [5] - The current plan continues what was already in place, reflecting Joe Biden's budget [5] - The policy question regarding Obamacare subsidies will be addressed before the end of the year, as they expire then [20] Security Funding - Additional funding is allocated for the security of Supreme Court justices and members of Congress [12]