Good morning.
The US government shut down on Wednesday, after congressional Democrats refused to support a Republican plan to extend funding unless they were granted certain concessions on healthcare.
The GOP, which controls the Senate and the House of Representatives, refused their demands, and the Senate failed to advance both parties’ bills to keep funding going past midnight.
Last month, House Republicans passed a bill that would fund the government until 21 November, but it requires the support of some Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold for advancement in the Senate.
It failed to gain that support in votes held late on Tuesday, and Republicans also blocked a Democratic proposal to continue funding through October while also making policy changes. Republicans refused Democrat demands to address recent Medicaid cuts and extend health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act as a non-starter.
What does a shutdown mean in practice? Federal employees classified as “non-excepted” are placed on unpaid furlough, while excepted staff, whose
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