Speaker McCarthy’s government shutdown I don’t need to remind anyone what happened on Wednesday. This came after Republican and Democratic legislators failed to reach a compromise over a spending bill. The standoff has left some 750,000 federal employees on indefinite unpaid leave each day. According to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, this state of affairs results in the equivalent of $400 million in daily compensation.
Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, argue they have acted in good faith by proposing a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution aimed at funding the government temporarily. Ashton’s proposal would take curtain policy proposal governments to stop extending. It does this all without adding in any new programs, dubbing it a “clean” continuing resolution. Democrats are demanding to see the inclusion of offsets to extend expiring healthcare subsidies, making that a key flashpoint.
Johnson emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, “What would any OMB director do under any president? They’re going to look to see for the administration’s priorities first, ensure that those are funded.” He promised that Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), would join forces with former President Donald Trump. Collectively, they will choose which programs should receive no funding.
Unfortunately, that’s the opposite of what Democrats have done over the past month. Senator Bernie Sanders recently sounded the alarm on House leaders proposed $800 billion cut to Medicaid. He warned that these cuts and increasing insurance premiums would threaten the lives of lower-income Americans. As he stated, ”That’s what this so-called ‘clean’ bill is doing,” emphasizing the importance of fulfilling healthcare needs as quickly as possible.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called warnings about skyrocketing health insurance premiums. She criticized the Republican strategy, claiming, “There’s nothing clean about it. This is one of the dirtiest tricks that is being pulled on the American people right now.” Ocasio-Cortez cautioned that if protective measures weren’t enacted, those in vulnerable communities would be hit the hardest.
As the shutdown plays out, certain critical services will remain in service. Furloughs on the frontline Federal law enforcement officers, federal border protection agents and air traffic controllers will stay on the job. More than 200,000 of these servicemembers and contingent personnel will be at work during this time under the shroud of no pay. Members of Congress will still get their paychecks, which the U.S. Constitution requires cannot be interrupted.
Additionally, Trump has threatened to use the shutdown as a cover for wide-scale purges of senior executives and political appointees from federal agencies. He stated, “Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud,” reflecting his intention to leverage the situation politically.
This shutdown is the first such event in almost seven years. While Congress remains gridlocked, the Senate will not convene on the day of the shutdown, adding to uncertainties surrounding potential resolutions.