US Government Shuts Down After Senate Deadlock

By Staff, Agencies

The US federal government has entered its first shutdown in seven years after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill before Wednesday’s midnight deadline.

Both parties rejected each other’s proposals in consecutive Senate votes. Democrats refused to back the Republican plan, demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies due to expire at year’s end and the reversal of planned Medicaid cuts.

Republicans described their bill as a “clean”, non-partisan measure to keep the government open, while Democrats countered that it would jeopardize healthcare access for millions of Americans.