US government shutdown enters day 23 as Senate set to vote on bill to keep essential workers and troops paid – live | US politics
Shutdown enters day 23 as Senate Republicans push bill to fund troops
The government shutdown entered its 23rd day, with little end in sight. On Wednesday the Senate failed, for the 12th time, to pass a House-passed stopgap funding bill.
Today, the upper chamber will also vote on legislation to continue paying federal workers who haven’t stopped working during the shutdown, as well as members of the military. The Shutdown Fairness Act is co-sponsored by Republican senator Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin.
The snag? It also needs 60 votes to advance, and Democrats look poised to hold out.
Key events
US targets drug-carrying vessel in second strike in two days
The Trump administration carried out another strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the eastern Pacific on Wednesday – the second operation in the geographic region in two days. Three people, who the defense secretary Pete Hegseth identified as “narco-terrorists”, were killed in the strike.
“These strikes will continue, day after day,” Hegseth pledged in a statement. “These are not simply drug runners – these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities.”
On Tuesday, the administration attacked and destroyed two boats on the Pacific side of South America for the first time, killing two people. Both of these operations come after at least seven other strikes in the Caribbean that have killed at least 32 people and raised tensions with Colombia and Venezuela.
Throughout this press conference, many Republicans are using an interview that minority whip Katherine Clark, one of the House’s top Democrats, gave to Fox News.
“Shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark said.
Today, GOP lawmakers are latching on to her words and using it as the basis to blame colleagues across the aisle for the ongoing shutdown.
“We just let their own words speak for themselves. We’re not for that, the Democrats are,” speaker Mike Johnson said.
Duffy also implored air traffic controllers who will go without paychecks from next week to still come to work.
“Come to work even if you don’t get a paycheck. We need you to come to work,” he said. “But if they do not, we’ll know whose fault it is.”
Transportation secretary joins House Republicans to discuss shutdown impact on travel
We’re hearing now from Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, who is repeating the Republican party line that the reason Democrats refuse to pass the continuing resolution to reopen the federal government is because they are trying to appease a “a radical base” that is “out of control”.
Duffy said that 28 October was the first day that air traffic controllers will go without a full paycheck.
“I want to reiterate we are all about safety,” Duffy said. “But again, I can’t guarantee you that your flight is going to be on time. I can’t guarantee you that your flight is not going to be canceled.”
House Republicans are holding their daily press conference now. Today, GOP lawmakers are joined by transportation secretary Sean Duffy.
Rubio to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday
Secretary of state Marco Rubio will meet with Benjamin Netanyahu later today, according to the state department.
The pair will meet at 12.05pm ET/7.05pm local time.
This comes as vice-president JD Vance met with the Israeli prime minister earlier this week, and just left the region to travel back to Washington.
Vance says West Bank annexation legislation is an ‘insult’
Amy Sedghi
Vice-president JD Vance has said that Israel would not annex the West Bank, the day after Israeli lawmakers voted to advance two bills paving the way for the territory’s annexation.
“If it was a political stunt it was a very stupid political stunt and I personally take some insult to it,” Vance said on the tarmac as he wrapped up his visit in Israel.
“The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel, the policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel, that will continue to be our policy,” he added.
Earlier, as secretary of state Marco Rubio travelled to the region, he warned Israel against annexation. “I think the president’s made clear that’s not something we can be supportive of right now,” Rubio said as he boarded his plane. Annexation moves are “threatening for the peace deal”, he told reporters.
Donald Trump has repeated his insistence that Chicago needs federal law enforcement on its streets. In a post on Truth Social he wrote:
14 people were shot over the weekend in Chicago, four DEAD! What does failed Governor Pritzker, and the equally pathetic Mayor, say now? BRING IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND BRING THEM IN NOW!!!
This comes after the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal to the supreme court, after an appeals court upheld a federal district judge’s decision to block the deployment of the national guard to Chicago.
Just a note that the latest failed vote on a funding bill to reopen the federal government took place after Jeff Merkley, the Democratic senator of Oregon, wrapped up a marathon speech on the Senate floor that lasted almost 23 hours.
Aided by placards behind him, declaring “Trump is violating the law”, the 68-year-old lawmaker issued a far-ranging critique of the administration’s policies.
“The fight isn’t over-we need to keep standing together to resist Trump’s attempts to tighten his authoritarian grip,” Merkley said, after wrapping his floor speech, that came in a couple of hours shy of breaking the record set by his Democratic colleague, Cory Booker, who spoke continuously for more than 25 hours back in April.
Shutdown enters day 23 as Senate Republicans push bill to fund troops
The government shutdown entered its 23rd day, with little end in sight. On Wednesday the Senate failed, for the 12th time, to pass a House-passed stopgap funding bill.
Today, the upper chamber will also vote on legislation to continue paying federal workers who haven’t stopped working during the shutdown, as well as members of the military. The Shutdown Fairness Act is co-sponsored by Republican senator Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin.
The snag? It also needs 60 votes to advance, and Democrats look poised to hold out.
Donald Trump will be in Washington today, according to his official schedule. We’re set to hear from him at 3pm ET, when he makes an announcement in the state dining room.
Before that, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will hold a briefing at 1pm ET. We’ll make sure to bring you the latest lines from both.
