Senate Democrats blocked the clean GOP House-passed short-term funding bill on Thursday for the 10th time since the federal government shut down nearly two weeks ago.
Senate Democrats have ensured that the shutdown will continue into next week because legislators will leave Washington, D.C., for another extended weekend after a final series of votes on Thursday, following only three short days in session.
Neither Republicans nor Democrats are willing to compromise on their firmly established viewpoints, and discussions between the two parties, although primarily informal, have started to diminish.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is resolute in his intention to persistently present the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), which would reopen the government until November 21, for repeated votes.