US Senate rejects Republican spending bill to end government shutdown

WASHINGTON

The US Senate on Monday rejected a House-passed Republican stopgap funding bill to end an ongoing government shutdown.

By a vote of 52-42, the Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the continuing resolution as the shutdown continued for a sixth day.

Senators voting in favor included Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto and John Fetterman, as well as Independent Angus King. Rand Paul was the only Republican to vote against.

Earlier, the Senate rejected a Democrat bill to extend government funding by a vote of 45-50.

Right after the voting, President Donald Trump said he was "happy" to work with Democrats on health care but the shutdown must end first.

"Democrats have shut down the United States Government right in the midst of one of the most successful Economies, including a Record Stock Market, that our Country has ever had," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He said the shutdown has "sadly" affected so many programs, services and other elements of society that Americans rely on.

"I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open. In fact, they should open our Government tonight!" he added.

Speaking to Newsmax later Monday, Trump said there is "progress" on the government shutdown.

"I guess we're making progress. A lot of people want to get it done," he said.

Trump said the Democrats "should've never shut it down."

"We have the best economy in the world right now — nobody's even close, and they shouldn't have done it...They're controlled by the radical left people, and it's just so ridiculous," he said.