Sept. 30, 2025, marked the final day of the fiscal year of 2025, and with it, the Government of the United States needed to pass a bill to ensure a continuation of government funding. With key issues in the Republican majority’s proposed bill, though, the Senate is currently unable to reach the 60 votes needed to pass the bill and return to business as usual.
Government shutdowns are a rare occurrence for the United States, having only last happened in 2018. That shutdown was the longest in U.S. history, lasting 35 days. The U.S. government needs funding to be renewed every fiscal year, but in the event where the government is unable to pass a budget bill, funding is not renewed, and the government shuts down.
When a government shutdown happens, several things occur alongside it—particularly, a pause in pay for federal employees. Essential services like air traffic control, border security, disaster aid and power grid maintenance continue to run, but employees go without pay, usually leading to disruptions and delays.
In addition to pauses in pay, many services and facilities are affected. National parks and other federally managed lands might be closed or limited due to staff shortages.
Shutdowns happen due to a failure to pass a budget bill. In this instance, the current obstacle for the Trump administration comes from the Senate. While the House of Representatives and Senate typically only need a majority vote to pass bills, the Senate needs a total of 60 votes in order to reach cloture, which ends debate and forces a vote.
Until the Senate reaches closure, any senator can delay a vote on bills by utilizing the filibuster, speaking nonstop on whatever they choose for as long as they choose. Until the Senate gets 60 votes, they will not be able to pass the budget bill and renew the government’s funding.
Republicans are struggling to get 60 votes, though, as Democrats stand firm on their stances against key parts of the budget bill, particularly around Medicare. Most importantly, Senate Democrats are advocating for an extension of health insurance tax credits, which are set to expire, and would lead to premium increases of up to 300% for some areas.
A current college student expressed their concerns and opinion on the shutdown, saying, “I personally believe the government shutdown is due to a lack of empathy. Millions of people would lose access to their healthcare if the proposed cuts to necessary services were voted on, which is what the Democrats are currently fighting against to protect these services.”
While the Democrats stand together, some Republicans have broken away from their base to speak out about the tax credits that will soon expire. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said, “When the tax credits expire this year, my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district.”
In the meantime, the Trump Administration blames Democrats for the shutdown, and the Democrats blame the Republicans for it in turn. Democrats have criticized Republicans for failing to negotiate with them on the tax credits and currently seem like they will remain steadfast on this hill.
What we are seeing is a game of chicken with the Republican and Democrat parties—a standoff to see who blinks first and caves. Will the Republicans come to the table to negotiate on their bill, or will Democrats give in and give Republican the votes they need without anything in return? The outcome has yet to be seen as of writing this.
