In brief
Congress remains stalled as leaders from both parties blame each other for the ongoing government shutdown. Key issues center around healthcare funding, with Democrats pushing for insurance subsidies for low-income individuals, while Republicans argue against increased spending. The Senate is set to reconvene to discuss a potential stopgap measure, but divisions remain deep, reflecting a public discontent with both parties' handling of the situation.
Democratic and Republican leaders remain far apart on how to end the partial shutdown of the US government as another day of voting approaches on Monday.
In separate Sunday interviews with NBC's Meet the Press, the House's top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries and its Republican leader Mike Johnson each blamed the other’s party for the continued standoff, which will head to day five on Monday.
The key dividing issue has been healthcare. Democrats want to ensure health insurance subsidies for those with low-income do not expire and aim to reverse cuts to the Medicaid health programme.
A bill to fund the government has passed the House, but has repeatedly failed in the Senate.
Jeffries accused Republicans of lying about Democrats' intentions in the negotiations because they're losing the court of public opinion. But Johnson said Democrats are not serious and negotiating in bad faith - they're doing this to get political cover.
The Senate is expected to reconvene Monday afternoon and once again take up a pair of continuing resolutions to fund the government. Meanwhile, House Democrats will meet Monday to discuss the situation. Johnson has extended a House recess through the week, meaning Congress' lower chamber will not be in session to take up a funding bill should the Senate make any changes and come to a deal.
Republicans hold a narrow majority of 53 seats in the 100-seat Senate, but any funding measure will require 60 votes to pass.
In his interview with NBC, Johnson argued that Democrats' refusal to approve a short-term spending bill that kept funding at current levels was unnecessary. The healthcare tax credits at issue don't expire until the end of the year, he said, and a Democratic proposal would add too much new spending in a seven-week stopgap measure.
Some Republicans, including Vice-President JD Vance, have cast the Democrats' position as trying to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens. Democrats have denied those claims and illegal or undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the schemes the Democrats are supporting, BBC Verify reports.
Jeffries told NBC's Kristen Welker that Democrats feel the consequences of the expiring credits are dire. We are standing up for the healthcare of hard-working American taxpayers, he said. If Republicans continue to refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit, tens of millions of American taxpayers are going to experience dramatically increased premiums, copays, and deductibles.
New polling data from CBS, the BBC's American news partner, has found that Americans view both parties' handling of the shutdown unfavorably, with President Trump also netting a negative reception.
As the shutdown drags into its second week, the consequences are beginning to mount, with institutions like The National Gallery of Art announcing closures due to lack of funding.
