Federal government shutdown hits 17th day as negotiations stall

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The federal government shutdown entered its 17th day Friday with more workers facing missed paychecks as congressional leaders remained deadlocked over reopening negotiations.

The shutdown is already one of the longest in American history, with the longest lasting 35 days during the first Trump administration.

House Republican and Democratic leaders continued to trade blame over the impasse.

“We need to reopen the government and we need to reopen the government now. Part of the problem is that House Republicans are nowhere to be found,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) countered that Democrats have repeatedly blocked reopening efforts.

“We’re on day 17 of the shutdown. The Democrats have now voted for the 11th time to keep the government closed 11 times. Now they refused to just do their basic job, get the government going again, making sure that federal employees are paid, that our troops are paid,” Johnson said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has a plan to force a vote on a bill from Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson to pay military members during the shutdown.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said the measure would provide relief while broader negotiations continue.

“This is affecting real people,” Scalise said. “And here’s a bill that, again, that doesn’t solve all of our differences, but just allows those people to be freed so that they can get back to work. They can get their paychecks, they can provide food for their family while we negotiate those differences for another few weeks.”

Republicans keep insisting the way forward is a vote on a simple, clean continuing resolution while Democrats insist the cost of health care must be addressed now, with open enrollment for insurance plans starting Nov. 1.

“Let’s sit down in good faith to reopen the government, to stand by our hardworking federal employees. So enact the spending bill that actually improves the quality of life of the American people, and to address the health care crisis that Republicans have created, devastating people all across the country,” Jeffries said.

According to Congressional schedules, the earliest votes could be completed to reopen the federal government is next Tuesday, Oct. 21, which would mark a full three-week shutdown. Those votes may not happen.