From Fox News: Washington is barreling into its fifth week of a government shutdown, and despite a handful of payday deadlines for federal workers fast-approaching, there’s been little progress made toward turning the lights back on.
The Senate is expected to again vote on a House-passed plan to reopen the government this week but has failed to advance the continuing resolution (CR) 12 times.
As before, the legislation — which would reopen the government until Nov. 21 — is expected to fail again. The same dispute that triggered the shutdown nearly a month ago remains unresolved.
Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., want an ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare premium subsidies, while Senate Republicans want to address the issue only after the government is reopened.
Monday morning, the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal employees in the nation that represents over 800,000 workers, announced they have had enough of the nonsense and demanded that Democrats end the shutdown… TODAY!
“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today,” the AFGE declared.
In a press release, Everett Kelley, AFGE National President, wrote:
This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together. Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight.
Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.
The statement continues:
It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike.
Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin. They’re looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they’re being cheated out of it is a national disgrace.
It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government. A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.
The path forward for Congress is clear:
Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.
Ensure back pay for every single employee who has served or been forced to stay home through no fault of their own.
Work together on a bipartisan basis to address important policy matters like addressing rising costs and fixing the broken appropriations process.
None of these steps favor one political side over another. They favor the American people – who expect stability from their government and responsibility from their leaders.
The national interest requires Congress to act immediately to bring every federal employee back to work, pay them for the work they’ve already done (or been locked out from doing), and continue having the debates and disagreements that are the hallmark of a strong democracy – without punishing the people who keep our nation running.
The government belongs to all of us. Let’s open it back up and keep America moving forward.
It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today. https://t.co/RP59HPzGuB
— AFGE (@AFGENational) October 27, 2025
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) responded:
The American Federation of Government Employees is right, the Democrat Shutdown is a NATIONAL DISGRACE.
• Families without paychecks
• Workers in food bank lines
• Moms & kids losing WICAll to please Dems’ radical socialist base. Enough of the madness. Pass the clean CR.
The American Federation of Government Employees is right, the Democrat Shutdown is a NATIONAL DISGRACE.
• Families without paychecks
• Workers in food bank lines
• Moms & kids losing WICAll to please Dems’ radical socialist base.
Enough of the madness. Pass the clean CR. pic.twitter.com/HJCxNsKdwo
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 27, 2025
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