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Government shutdown now 2nd longest in U.S. history
The U.S. government shutdown on Wednesday entered its 22nd day, becoming the second-longest federal funding lapse ever, with no end in sight.
The milestone means that the two longest shutdowns have both occurred while President Donald Trump was in office.
The longest shutdown began in December 2018, in Trump’s first term, and dragged on for nearly five weeks. That shutdown stemmed from a dispute about funding Trump’s contentious immigration policy.
The current shutdown resulted from Senate Democrats refusing to vote for a short-term government funding bill sponsored by Republicans, because it lacks additional spending on health care and other provisions.
Democrats want any funding bill to extend enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, without which health insurance premiums for millions of Americans could rise significantly in 2026. Those credits are set to expire at the end of the year.
Republicans have accused Democrats of holding the government hostage and have refused to negotiate on health care issues until after the shutdown is over.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. But 60 votes are needed to pass any funding bill.
A stopgap funding resolution that previously passed in the GOP-controlled House has failed to pass in the Senate 11 times.
A Republican-backed bill that would solely grant funding to the U.S. military failed in a procedural vote last Thursday.
There was no vote scheduled for Wednesday as of 10:45 a.m. ET.
“We have negotiated. I don’t know what there is to negotiate,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said after meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
“This is about opening up the government,” Thune said. “We have offered them several off-ramps now. The Democrats want something that’s totally untenable.”
Democratic leaders in Congress have asked to speak with Trump and want him to get involved in negotiations to resolve the shutdown.
Asked if Trump will speak with Democrats, Thune told reporters, “At some point, but open up the government first.”
