WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump called a shutdown looming at midnight tonight “probably likely” because of an impasse with congressional Democrats over health care costs.
Trump and fellow Republican leaders in Congress seek an extension of current spending to keep the government funded through Nov. 21. The temporary funding patch is aimed at giving lawmakers time to negotiate a full year of funding for the year that's supposed to start Oct. 1. Trump has threatened federal layoffs and program cuts if the shutdown happens.
But Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer in the Senate and Hakeem Jeffries in the House argued after meeting Sept. 29 with Trump that failing to extend federal subsidies for Obamacare, a marketplace for health insurance, will leave many people uncovered.
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