Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked the House-passed short-term funding bill for the 10th time, ensuring that the federal government shutdown—now in its 16th day—will continue into next week. Lawmakers, after just three days in session, departed Washington, D.C., for another extended weekend, leaving no clear resolution in sight.

Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) has vowed to persist in bringing the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to the Senate floor. The CR would temporarily fund the government through November 21. Although some Republicans are considering changing the expiration date to gain broader support, the House remains in recess and would need to reconvene to pass any new version.

Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), are pushing for negotiations tied to expiring Obamacare subsidies. They have urged President Donald Trump to directly participate in discussions. While Schumer has declined to negotiate publicly, he accused Republicans of refusing to engage in any serious dialogue. Thune responded by accusing Democrats of holding federal workers and services hostage over unrelated political demands.

Bipartisan talks have stalled. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) confirmed that Republicans are not currently drafting a proposal on healthcare subsidies to entice Democrats. He expressed doubt that an agreement could be reached before the November 1 open enrollment date, warning that the issue could drag into the 2024 primaries and become further politicized.

In the meantime, Thune sought to restart the stalled appropriations process with a procedural vote on the defense funding bill. While most Democrats rejected the CR, three senators—John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Angus King (I-Maine)—sided with Republicans, arguing that reopening the government must be the first priority before debating broader policy issues.