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By Gabe Whisnant
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that the Senate will return Friday for another vote to reopen the government but cautioned that lawmakers are unlikely to hold additional votes over the weekend if the measure fails.
“If that fails, then we’ll give them the weekend to think about it. We’ll come back and we’ll go again on Monday,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters.
Thune said he welcomed bipartisan discussions among senators seeking a compromise but stressed that any solution must begin with reopening the government. Some lawmakers have floated a short-term funding bill tied to extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, but Thune voiced doubts about both ideas.
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He said Republicans would resist plans that fund the government for less than seven weeks and would oppose extending ACA credits without reforms to curb “waste, fraud and abuse.”
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Who is the Blame for the Government Shutdown?
Republicans and Democrats are trading blame as the shutdown stretches on. GOP leaders argue Democrats are holding up spending bills by insisting on tying government funding to unrelated priorities, including health care tax credits. Democrats counter that Republicans are refusing to pass a clean funding bill and are instead pushing partisan measures that cannot clear both chambers.
“Democrats are at the negotiating table. We don’t have a long list of demands. We’re not saying we need to find more money,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote on X. “We just want Republicans to restore the health care coverage they took away from millions of Americans.”
The political stalemate has left each side maneuvering to avoid public backlash. A new poll from The Washington Post, reveals more Americans are blaming Republicans rather than Democrats, though many are still unsure who is responsible.
Behind the scenes, bipartisan talks continue, but the path forward remains uncertain as disputes over spending levels and policy riders stall progress.
Who's Affected by the Government Shutdown?
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees face furloughs or are working without pay, while government services ranging from national parks to small business loan processing are disrupted. Air travel and public safety functions remain in place, but many Americans are beginning to feel ripple effects in their daily lives.
President Donald Trump said he would meet Thursday with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought—one of the authors of the conservative Project 2025 plan to radically reshape the government—to decide where to make cuts as he seeks to take advantage of the federal government shutdown.
Trump, posting to Truth Social, said the Vought meeting will "determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent."
"I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote.
Economists warn the longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the strain on families, contractors and the broader economy.
Mike Johnson: "Russ does this reluctantly. He takes no pleasure in this. Because Russ has to sit down and decide which policies, personnel, and which programs are essential and which are not. That's not a fun task and he's not enjoying that responsibility ... if they keep the… pic.twitter.com/ONYfYFLisS
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2025
Government Shutdown Vote Results: Latest from the Senate
On Tuesday, the Senate held a key vote on a Republican-backed continuing resolution aimed at keeping the government funded, but the measure failed to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The roll-call result was 55–45 in favor, falling short of the threshold to advance the bill.
Democrats opposed the resolution in large part because it excluded extensions of Affordable Care Act tax credits and rolled back certain social spending priorities. Republicans countered that the proposal would have kept the lights on for several weeks, offering more time for negotiations.
Updates: 10/2/25, 1:23 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 10/2/25, 1:42 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 10/2/25, 2:19 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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