Senate rejects both parties’ bills to avoid shutdown

Sunday, September 21, 2025 -The U.S. Senate has rejected rival funding measures from both Republicans and Democrats, pushing the government closer to a shutdown as the October 1 deadline approaches.

Republicans put forward a stopgap bill to extend funding through late November while adding new security money for lawmakers and federal institutions. Democrats opposed the plan because it excluded provisions to extend health care subsidies and restore Medicaid funding.

Democrats presented an alternative measure that included those health care priorities, but it too failed to pass. With Congress set to recess for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, lawmakers will return with only days left to strike a deal and avert a shutdown.