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The US government remained closed for a third straight day on Friday, with no indication that congressional lawmakers had advanced toward forging a compromise to restart government functions.

Upper Chamber Gears Up for Key Ballots

The Senate is scheduled to convene in the late day to vote on rival GOP and Democrat proposals for extending funding over the next few weeks. However, neither proposal seems to have sufficient backing to meet the chamber's sixty-vote threshold for advancement.

This marks the initial closure since 2019, and if the votes fail, it will ensure that government agencies remain closed and employees remain on unpaid leave into next week.

Root Causes of the Closure

Funding lapsed after midnight Wednesday when Senate Democrats declined to supply the necessary support to approve a GOP funding bill, instead insisting on compromises on medical care and other spending priorities.

Government shutdowns can impact the American economy billions of dollars each week, analysts indicate.

Financial and Partisan Fallout

Donald Trump and GOP officials in the legislature have resisted, and on Friday, the labor department withheld its monthly data on job creation and joblessness, citing the shutdown.

The administration continued its policy of cancelling financial support for projects in Democratic-led areas, with the office of management and budget announcing that $2.1 billion for a pair of transportation projects in Chicago had been put on hold “to make certain funding is not distributed via racial criteria”.

Primary Requests from The Minority Party

• Overturn reductions to the Medicaid system for low-income and disabled Americans
• Renew premium tax credits for ACA plans
• Bring back funding cut from government-supported broadcasting
• Halt the withholding of foreign aid funds

Healthcare costs are projected to increase for approximately twenty million individuals if the credits are not renewed, while nearly ten million Americans may be deprived of health insurance due to the cuts to the healthcare program and comparable programs.

Political Standoff Continues

The Senate majority leader has rejected negotiating over Democrats' demands until federal appropriations is reinstated. In an interview with NBC News, he suggested he was not negotiating with his Democratic counterpart, Chuck Schumer.

“We are not far apart, so if he wants to chat, he is aware where to find me. But I believe at this juncture right now, the issue set is pretty clear-cut. I am uncertain that … discussion is going to accomplish a lot.”

His comments echoed those of Mike Johnson, who stated “I truly have nothing to negotiate” with the Democrats.

Democratic Position Remains Unchanged

The Democrats has displayed no indication of changing its viewpoint. “Democrats are very clear. We aim to restart the government. We support dedicated federal civil servants. We want to find a bipartisan path forward. But it’s must be an deal that actually addresses the requirements of the American people,” House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries told a news outlet.

Potential Divisions in Democratic Cohesion

It remains to be seen if sufficient Democratic senators will persist in supporting the official stance. Three members have voted to move forward the Republican spending proposal, a split in the ranks that GOP leaders have indicated they will try to exploit.

Unprecedented Stakes and Threats

The former president has attempted to make the stakes of this closure unusually high. In addition to cutting funding in a way he has characterized as intended to penalize Democrats, he has threatened conducting large-scale dismissals of federal workers.

Partisan Communications Emerges

Several government departments have posted biased and questionably lawful messages saying their operations are limited due to “the far-left closure”. Sources at the education department report their automated email messages were altered without their permission to use language blaming Democrats.