Deadlock in the Senate: The Struggle to Reopen Government Agencies

U.S. Senate Democrats stood firm in their refusal to end the record-breaking federal government shutdown on Thursday, despite Republican efforts to reverse layoffs and reopen closed agencies.

In an ongoing stand-off, Senate Democrats convened for a lengthy closed-door caucus to discuss the 37-day shutdown, which has led to the furloughing of roughly 750,000 federal employees and jeopardized essential services like food assistance.

As airports brace for flight reductions due to unpaid air-traffic controllers, Republicans hold a slim majority but require Democratic support to pass a bill and reopen the government. Talks continue without resolution.