Democrats vote down federal funding bill, putting government on path to shutdown

WASHINGTON, NC (AP) — The U.S. government is on the brink of the first federal government shutdown in almost seven years, as Senate Democrats voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government.

The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. It came as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.

After Tuesday’s votes, it was increasingly unlikely that either side would concede before the 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

President Donald Trump’s budget office posted a letter with instructions from Director Russ Vought immediately after the failed Senate vote.

“Affected agencies should now execute their plans,” Vought wrote.

He told employees to come to work Wednesday to “undertake orderly shutdown activities.”

Some government functions — like NASA’s space missions, ICE’s immigration crackdown and certain public health work at FDA and the USDA — would continue during a shutdown.

The National Park Service plans to furlough about two-thirds of its employees while keeping parks largely open to visitors during the federal shutdown, according to a contingency plan released Tuesday night.

The plan says “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.” It says sites could be closed if damage is being done to park resources or due to excessive garbage buildup.

The plan also allows parks to enter into agreements with states, tribes or local governments willing to make donations to keep national park sites open. The park service has more than 400 sites, from large national parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon to national battlefields and historic sites.

Of the park service’s 14,500 employees, 5,200 will be retained during the shutdown.

Many national parks stayed open during a 35-day shutdown in Trump’s first term. Limited staffing led to vandalism, gates being pried open and other problems.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says that the failed vote to fund the government shows that Republicans must enter a negotiation to gain their support.

“They’ve got to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to come to a bill that both parties can support,” said Schumer, a New York Democrat.

Democrats are demanding that Congress extend tax credits for health care plans offered under the Affordable Care Act.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he’ll continue to press Democrats to vote for legislation to fund the government mostly at current levels, but if that passes, he’s open to negotiating with Democrats on one of their heath care priorities.

Thune says there are “conversations” happening with Democrats about the government funding bill. He also says he’s open to talks about extending tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but only if Democrats acknowledge there will be significant changes from the current program.

But it appears that’s not happening with Schumer.

Thune says if Schumer wants to talk, “He knows where I am. Right here, on the floor, 6 feet away from him.”