(MENAFN) The US federal government entered its seventh day of shutdown on Tuesday, with no resolution in sight, after Senate Democrats once again blocked a Republican-led proposal to extend government funding through November 21.

House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the ongoing stalemate, saying, “So, that was their fifth vote to shut the government down on the American people. It is regrettable and sad, and real pain is being felt by real people because of these political shenanigans.” His comments followed the Senate’s rejection of a House-passed Republican stopgap funding bill by a 52–42 vote, falling short of the 60-vote threshold required for passage.

Johnson emphasized that Republicans are attempting to restore funding and called for bipartisan cooperation, stating, “and you need Republicans and Democrats to work together to get that done.” He also expressed hope that furloughed federal workers would receive back pay, noting, “Of course, we have some extraordinary Americans who serve the federal government. They serve valiantly, and they work hard, and they serve in these various agencies, doing really important work.”

Although a government shutdown does not automatically trigger a full-scale economic crisis, it causes widespread disruption. Many federal employees classified as essential are working without pay, while others have been placed on mandatory leave until a new budget is approved. Reports indicate that President Trump has also raised the possibility of layoffs during the shutdown.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the shutdown, attributing it to “the refusal and unwillingness” of Trump and Republicans to provide health care for working-class Americans. He added, “That's an unacceptable position, and that's why Democrats continue to fight this fight on behalf of the American people.” Jeffries further warned that Democrats are “really concerned” about the ongoing shutdown, describing it as “part of a pattern of continuing to devastate the American economy.”

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