If Congress fails to fund the government by Monday night, millions of federal workers could miss their next full paycheck, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She expressed concern for the financial stress this would cause many federal employees who are already struggling to pay their bills and support their families.
As the government shutdown nears its second week, over 620,000 federal workers have already been furloughed. More workers are expected to join them unless both parties can reach a funding agreement. This includes more than 1 million active-duty troops, who will not receive their pay after October 15 without a deal.
Furloughed employees receive letters they can show to landlords or creditors, and they will get back pay once the shutdown ends. However, many workers are feeling the pressure now, with reports of individuals living paycheck to paycheck.
Leavitt pointed fingers at Democrats for the financial strain, stating that just five Democratic votes could end the shutdown and protect federal workers’ pay. She emphasized that this would also help ensure that federal nutrition programs for women and children continue to operate without interruption.
Democrats have been resistant to funding bills that do not include permanent extensions of expanded Obamacare premium tax credits, which are set to expire this year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has stated that Democrats are committed to fighting for health care access for all Americans.
On the other hand, Republicans argue that Schumer is keeping the government closed to avoid upsetting more extreme members of his party. They claim that the Democrats’ funding proposal could lead to nearly $200 billion spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants and non-citizens over the next decade.
Republicans are advocating for a “clean” funding bill that would keep the government running without any additional provisions. The House of Representatives passed this bill on September 19, but the Senate has not managed to pass it due to opposition from the majority of Democrats. Notably, Senators John Fetterman from Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada have sided with Republicans in this matter.
As the deadline approaches, the pressure is mounting on both parties to find a solution that will prevent further harm to federal workers and the services they provide.
