Shutdown Day 27: Big union seeks a resolution

WASHINGTON — The U.S. government shutdown enters its 28th day on Tuesday with the nation’s largest union of federal employees pleading for an end, and the Senate’s chaplain praying for that. 

But as of Monday night the next things set to end appeared to be the availability of funds to keep paying some federal workers, including air traffic controllers, and federal food aid that normally would go out on Nov. 1 to millions of Americans.

Vice President JD Vance is set to visit with Senate Republicans about tariffs on Tuesday, though the shutdown is sure to also be a topic.

With President Donald Trump traveling in Asia, and the GOP-led House remaining away from Washington for a fifth week, developments at the U.S. Capitol are focusing less on resolving government closure, than on taking remedial action to delay some of its harmful symptoms in the interim.

Paused on Monday, at least for one day, was another round of voting in the Senate on a House-passed bill to reopen the government that has already failed 12 times to get enough Democratic votes to advance.

Senate Democrats are continuing to demand that, for their needed vote support, language must be added that will renew Obamacare health tax credits due to expire at year’s end, to prevent the costs of health premiums from rising dramatically. Republicans continue to refuse.

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) offered that there will be conversations with fellow Republicans this week on bringing up votes this week to get money to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by week’s end. He also said standalone bills will be discussed to pay certain federal employees, such as air traffic controllers, and ensure later paychecks due to the military.

There is no guarantee Senate Democrats would go along with such bills. 

Earlier, American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley urged lawmakers in a statement to pass a short-term spending bill to end the shutdown, He wrote that "folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin."

Senate chaplain Barry Black opened the Senate later with a prayer urging senators to come together and reopen government, saying there are "no gold medals" for breaking records for longest government shutdowns.