Numerous federal unions have expressed their readiness to support a government shutdown, notwithstanding the potential for significant repercussions, including job losses, for their members due to a budget breach.
The Federal Unionists Network (FUN) and 35 national, state, and local unions revealed in a memo to prominent Democratic leaders on Monday, imploring them to resist a clean GOP budget package — a move many perceive as Democrats playing politics with the government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have made it clear they are content keeping the government shut down unless President Donald Trump and Republicans cave to their demands to provide healthcare to illegal immigrants, among other things.
“A government shutdown is never Plan A,” the letter from the FUN and 35 cosponsoring unions reads. “Federal workers and the communities we serve will face severe hardship. But federal workers will willingly forego paychecks in the hopes of preserving the programs we have devoted our lives to administering.”
“In order to save our services today, we need to send a message to this Administration that enough is enough,” the letter continues.
Schumer explicitly rationalized collaborating with Republicans to finance the government in March by asserting that a government shutdown would yield extensive repercussions for federal employees.
Prominent Democratic leaders are insisting that Republicans consent to prolong Biden-era Obamacare subsidies in return for their backing. A permanent extension would incur a cost of $350 billion to federal taxpayers over the forthcoming decade, as per a recent estimate by the Congressional Budget Office.
Republicans contend that Congress should address government financing prior to deliberating on the tax credits, which are not set to expire until December 31.
Senate Republicans now perceive the Democrats’ stance on the shutdown as an act of hostage-taking, with no substantial basis for negotiations until the government reopens.
The informal discussions, which Republicans emphasize are not comprehensive negotiations, have yielded a conciliatory gesture from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who indicated to Senate Democrats that he would provide them a vote on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits in exchange for their support in reopening the government.
Last week, for the tenth time, they obstructed his attempt to restore the lights and subsequently impeded a procedural motion to enable members to deliberate on the annual defense budget measure.
In both cases, Democrats sought assurances that Thune and the Republicans were unable to furnish.
“The Dems, someday, they’re going to rue the day they did this, because we have offered up an open appropriations process, regular order, doing things that way,” Thune told Fox News.
“I think it’s unfortunate, but it’s a reality that we’re dealing with,” he continued. “And I hope they change their mind and realize that it’s in everybody’s best interest to try and at least get the government open and then start going to work and funding the government the old-fashioned way.”
Numerous Republicans anticipated that following the “No Kings” event in Washington, D.C., over the weekend, Senate Democrats would reconsider their stance.
Conversely, some perceive it as a performative opportunity for congressional Democrats to demonstrate their resistance against President Donald Trump and the GOP.
Senate Majority Leader Thune said last week that at least two additional Senate Democrats are in discussions to break ranks with Schumer.
The partial government shutdown is now nearing three weeks.
So far, only three Senate Democrats — John Fetterman (PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), and Angus King (ME), an independent who caucuses with Democrats — have joined Republicans in supporting efforts to release federal funds. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) remains the lone Republican holdout.
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But Thune indicated to Fox News that more Democrats are set to join Republicans in support of a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government.
The House has already approved a temporary funding measure to keep the government open through late November, but Schumer has thus far prevented most of his caucus from backing the bill.
The measure requires 60 votes to advance in the Senate, meaning at least eight Democrats would need to cross party lines if Paul continues to oppose it — a move Thune suggested is increasingly likely.