September 19, 2025
Well friends it’s a mess. I know we could say that about a lot of things – but when it comes to this video – I’m talking about the real possibility of a government shutdown at the end of this month. And instead buckling down and figuring out how to keep the government open, the republican leadership in both the house and the senate have decided to skip town and go on recess for a week.
That decision comes after the plan to keep the government open past September 30th and even the backup plan both failed in the United States senate today.
So here’s what’s going on.
As I have been reporting for years – Congress is responsible for passing a piece of legislation every year to fund the government. That legislation must be passed by the end of the fiscal year which is September 30th. And if congress doesn’t pass that legislation, the government shuts down. Well – congress for decades has failed to pass that piece of legislation on time. So instead they pass what’s called a continuing resolution – or CR. A CR just temporarily keeps the government open and keeps spending at status quo levels for a certain amount of time. It kicks the can down the road and buys lawmakers more time to figure out how to fund the government… but it also sets up a new government shutdown deadline.
So let’s start with the House. Earlier today, the they passed a CR that keeps the government open and funding levels the same for most things until November 21st. But this CR also adds more funding for security for members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and executive branch officials in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk. Final vote 217 to 212. Two Republicans joined Democrats and voted no and 1 Democrat joined Republicans and voted yes. Three members did not vote.
That bill then went to the Senate – which don’t forget because of Senate rules – needs 60 votes. Because republicans only have 53 senators they would need at least 7 Democrats to join them. Well – that didn’t happen. That house CR failed with a vote of 44 to 48. 8 Senators did not vote. Only one Democrat voted yes and that was Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and all the no votes were from Democrats and Independents.
So why did Democrats vote no on this CR? What’s the problem? Well – they have a laundry list of reasons – one big one is they don’t like the way Republicans are going back after they’ve negotiated budget deals with democrats to spend money on things like NPE and PBS and then when Trump demands they claw it back Republicans just throw their deal with Democrats out the window.
But Democrats didn’t come empty handed – the put their CR on the Senate floor for a vote too – it of course failed too, 47 to 45 with 8 senators not voting. All the yes votes were Democrats and Independents. So why did Republicans all vote no on this one?
Because the CR presented by democrats keeps the government open through October 31st and would have added funding back to PBS and NPR, it permanently would have extended the affordable care act expanded subsidy so your health insurance rates don’t sky rocket next year, and would have repealed al the health care provisions that were in the big beautiful bill that that cut funding for Medicaid.
So now what? Well – as far as the House Speaker is concerned, his chamber has done its work. They are scheduled to be on recess all next week. And the Republican Senate Majority Leader said the Senate is going to go on their pre-planned recess scheduled for all next week too. Now – it’s possible they’ll come back early, but if they don’t neither chamber is scheduled to come back until September 29th. One day before the government shutdown deadline.
See how your House lawmaker voted on the CR here.
See how your Senator voted on the House CR here.
See how your Senator voted on the Democratic CR here.
