1:52Senate Majority Leader John Thune confers with House Speaker Mike Johnson at a press conference concerning the third day of a partial stoppage of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 3, 2025. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
The Senate was unsuccessful in passing government funding measures for the fourth occasion on Friday, leaving the cessation in effect presumably through the weekend as congressional heads appear to be deadlocked.
Prior to Friday's vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune stood his ground on the Senate floor and conveyed his party’s reluctance to bargain with Democrats concerning their demands to reopen the government.
"This stoppage has to conclude sooner rather than later, and there's only a solitary route to ending it. Democrats must endorse the clean, bipartisan continuing resolution presently available," Thune expressed.
Minority Leader Schumer pointed back at Republicans, declaring on the Senate floor that the government is still shuttered because Republicans "insist" on jeopardizing health care nationwide.
"It's Day 3 of the Trump shutdown, and the government is still not open because Donald Trump and Republicans are determined to raise Americans' health care costs and remove millions from their insurance," Schumer stated.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at the U.S. Capitol on the third day of a partial government shutdown, on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 3, 2025.Nathan Howard/Reuters
Besides the GOP-supported seven-week provisional funding measure, the Senate conducted a vote on the Democrat's funding legislation that encompasses health care stipulations. Both proposals were unsuccessful, with no one altering their votes from the time the Senate previously deliberated them on Wednesday.
These were the final scheduled votes for Friday, and Thune has indicated that he does not plan to conduct votes over the weekend. Consequently, it seems quite likely that the government cessation will continue until at least Monday.
The House will not be holding any votes next week, even while the government shutdown continues, the chair declared Friday afternoon. This indicates that the lower chamber will not vote until the middle of October, as the Senate endeavors to formulate its strategy for funding the government.
Republicans have stated numerous times that they are amenable to discussing Affordable Care Act tax credits with Democrats — although only after the government is functioning again.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on October 3, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Jay O’Brien questioned Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday, asking whether Democrats have no trust in those assurances from the GOP.
"We don't consider a government shutdown as influence," stated Jeffries, adding that Democrats "require a binding legislative agreement to address the health care concerns that we have voiced."
In the meantime, Thune is carrying on with his endeavor to enlist additional Democrats to support the GOP-backed funding legislation. He amplified the pressure on Democrats during a Friday morning press conference.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks next to House Speaker Mike Johnson during a press conference on the third day of a partial shutdown of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 3, 2025.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
"We have the chance to seize a bill passed by the House that, if it is approved by the Senate, will be conveyed to the White House, where the president will sign it, and the government will reopen. It's that uncomplicated and direct. And that's what we're addressing. All that we require is a few more Democrats," Thune commented.
The majority leader expressed his hope that Democrats "have a chance to contemplate" their perspective over the weekend.
"I don't know how many times you give them a chance to vote no, and hopefully over the weekend, they'll have a chance to think about it. Perhaps some of these dialogues start to yield something where we can begin to shift some votes and truly get this matter approved," Thune remarked Friday. "But at this juncture, there is nothing to gain by bargaining over something that offers no room for negotiation."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks next to House Speaker Mike Johnson during a press conference on the third day of a partial shutdown of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 3, 2025.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
House Speaker Mike Johnson also declined to promise negotiations with Democrats concerning their $400 billion demand to prolong the expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are slated to conclude at the close of the year.
"Certain issues they're bringing to the forefront, requesting quick, straightforward resolutions, are not simple, and necessitate substantial deliberation. That is the due process. This is a deliberative assembly, one of significant size," Johnson explained. "We cannot simply conjure a solution, where he and I, alongside two other leaders, gather in a room and decide, 'Oh, well, this is the resolution.' That is not how it operates."
When questioned Friday afternoon on whether President Donald Trump is in discussions with Democrats to secure their backing for the GOP bill, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded that Senate Republicans are in contact with moderate Democrats, and these discussions "have gained considerable traction."
ABC News' Lauren Peller added contributions to this piece.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
