Senate Fails to Pass Government Stopgap Funding Bill

The government shutdown reached the two-week mark on Tuesday as senators headed to Capitol Hill for another vote. Has any progress in the negotiations been made? Read on for all of the latest news coming out of the nation's capital.

Government Shutdown Reaches Two-Week Mark

The Senate voted on the Republicans’ government funding proposal on Tuesday evening with no success. The vote happened as the shutdown reached the two-week mark. Congress has not been able to reach a deal as the shutdown drags on, with no indication that there has been any progress to end the stalemate.

The House passed the stopgap bill designed to keep the government running through November 21, putting it in the hands of the Senate. However, Democratic senators are demanding that the legislation extend the current Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced subsidies that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For context, Tuesday's failed vote was the eighth time that this stopgap bill has come up on the Senate Floor. All of the Senate Democrats, with the exception of John Fetterman and Catherine Cortez Masto, continue to vote against the legislation. Five Democrats will need to vote yes in order for the bill to pass and temporarily end the shutdown. GOP Sen. Rand Paul has refused to vote for the bill, making it more difficult for the Republicans to pass the bill.

When speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries affirmed that Democratic leaders will not change their minds over the necessity of the ACA subsidies. Jeffries also criticized House GOP leaders for remaining in recess as the shutdown persists.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled on Tuesday that the Senate will likely finish voting for the week on Thursday. Should this day arrive with no opening of the government, it would mean that the shutdown will stretch into next week.  

Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  said on Tuesday that it is preparing to “ride out” the shutdown through the use of more layoffs. The OMB offered assurance that military troops and law enforcement will continue to receive paychecks. Trump said that his team has found funds to pay the troops as scheduled on Wednesday by cutting Democrat-backed services and programs.

Airports Refusing to Air DHS Video, Calling it Propaganda

Controversy is also swirling in some of the nation's airports as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rolled out videos airing in U.S. airports. The videos feature DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blaming the shutdown on the Democrats. Travelers are watching the videos as they wait in line for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening at U.S. airports.

Some airports are refusing to air the videos, deeming them propaganda from the Trump Administration. More airports joined this list on Tuesday, including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Other cities that have refused to play the video in their major airports include Chicago, Seattle, Denver, Portland, Boston, Newark, Atlanta, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Charlotte.

Other Happenings as the Shutdown Persists

President Trump had a busy day at the White House as the shutdown negotiations wore on. The president hosted Argentine President Javier Milei, promoting a financial gift of $20 billion to the South American nation. Critics of the president questioned the large lifeline headed to Argentina as the U.S. government remains in flux with the shutdown. Democrats claim that Trump is using federal dollars to prop up one of his biggest political allies.

Some Republicans have also questioned the move amidst a government shutdown. GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley posted on X on September 25, questioning why the U.S. would bail out Argentina as it overtook the soybean market from China, putting American farmers at risk.

During a lunch meeting with Milei on Tuesday, Trump signaled that the financial help was provided in an attempt to promote similar ideologies. Trump was also clear that the support from the U.S. hinged on Milei remaining in power in Argentina.

Trump later honored the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk by awarding him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, accepted the award during an emotional ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. The ceremony was held on what would have been Charlie Kirk's 32nd birthday.

A number of key American political leaders were in attendance at the ceremony. This list included Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel.

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