Washington, D.C. — Nearly three weeks into the government shutdown, lawmakers remain locked in a partisan stalemate over how to fund the federal government. The Senate returns Monday for what will be its 11th attempt to advance a short-term funding measure, while the House remains out of session for a fourth consecutive week.
The ongoing impasse has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay and placed growing pressure on lawmakers as essential operations face disruption. By Friday, government workers missed their first full paycheck, and by Monday, federal courts will begin scaling back paid operations due to lack of funding.
Senate Faces Another Likely Failed Vote
The Senate is expected to vote Monday evening on a bill that would reopen the government until November 21. The proposal, backed primarily by Republicans, is widely expected to fail again, continuing the legislative gridlock that has stalled progress since the shutdown began.
Senate leaders have warned that even temporary funding measures could be delayed further if House leadership refuses to reconvene for votes.
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Speaker Johnson Resists Calls to Reconvene the House
House Speaker Mike Johnson has stood firm in his decision to keep the chamber out of session, telling ABC News’ This Week that he will not “come back and engage in anything until the government’s reopened.”
The House has canceled all votes through next week, formally designating October 20–26 as a district work period. Despite mounting criticism, Johnson insists that returning prematurely would be unproductive while the Senate continues to fail to pass its version of the funding bill.
Newly Elected Representative Awaits Swearing-In
Adding to the standoff, Johnson is refusing to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva until the Senate votes to reopen the government.
“Rep. Grijalva won her race in the last week of September after we had already gone out of session,” Johnson said Friday. “I’m willing and anxious to administer the oath, hopefully on the first day we come back into legislative session.”
The delay has drawn criticism from Democratic leaders, who argue that constituents in Grijalva’s district are being denied representation during a national funding crisis.
Democrats Accuse GOP of Political Stalling
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Republican leadership for keeping the House idle, saying the GOP has shown “no interest in doing the business of the American people.”
Jeffries and Senate Democrats continue to call for a bipartisan compromise to restore federal operations and pay federal workers, but with negotiations stalled and both chambers divided, progress remains elusive.
Mounting Pressure as Shutdown Drags On
As the shutdown stretches into its third week, the impacts are growing more visible: unpaid federal employees, delayed court proceedings, and stalled federal services.
Lawmakers are under pressure to reach an agreement before the end of October, when further lapses in funding could begin affecting critical sectors such as aviation safety, food inspection, and veterans’ benefits.
