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"DANGER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" Democrats' key condition for backing a House-passed funding resolution that would reopen the government through late November is the renewal of expiring health care subsidies for 24 million Americans. Senate Republicans have offered a vote on renewing the subsidies, but many Democrats insist that any deal in the upper chamber will be meaningless without the sign-off of Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. A Senate vote Monday evening on a House-passed resolution to reopen the government failed, for the 11th time. Johnson has vowed to keep the House closed until the shutdown ends, and it has already been out of session since Sep 19. "Every day that the government is shut down, it is a danger to the American people," Johnson told reporters on Monday when asked about the NNSA furloughs. He warned that falling behind US adversaries in the nuclear arms race would be a "very serious" threat to the country's status as "the last great superpower." Trump has been clear that he believes Republicans are winning the messaging war and has not felt the need so far to intervene. But Democratic strategists are confident that they can stick Republicans with the blame for skyrocketing premiums and health care coverage losses that would hit millions of Americans in 2026 if no action is taken. "In Georgia, Virginia and Maryland, people are now finding out that their health insurance premiums are about to increase, in some instances by more than US$2,000 per month, for a total of US$24,000 per year," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. "No one can afford those types of increases." Federal employees - who generally get paid every two weeks - are expected to miss the entire amount for the first time on Thursday, and troop pay is another issue pressuring lawmakers to strike a deal. The Senate is due to consider legislation midweek that would allow members of the military and other federal workers to receive pay, though it is not clear that the effort has sufficient Democratic buy-in.
