Vice President J.D. Vance warned Monday that the federal government appears headed toward a shutdown after high-stakes meetings with congressional leaders wound without agreement. He accused Democrats of refusing to “do the right thing” as Republicans push a clean short-term funding measure through November.
Meeting with President Trump, Senate Republicans, and top House leaders, Vance and GOP officials laid out a proposal that excludes Democratic demands—particularly on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. He asserted Democrats’ insistence on policy riders is an effort to “take the government hostage.”
Democratic leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries, countered that they will not support a partisan bill that undermines healthcare protections and asserted their counterproposal is rooted in necessity, not politics.
Lawmakers face a pressing deadline: unless Congress passes a continuing resolution by midnight Wednesday, many federal operations will shut down, and nonessential employees may be furloughed.
In the friction over funding, government employees, contractors, and now many Americans stand in limbo as political posturing may force a shutdown that could have real consequences.
