WASHINGTON – The federal government shutdown continued grimly this week, coming closer to outpacing the second longest in American history — a 21-day Clinton-era shutdown over opposition to large spending cuts.

The U.S. House continues to be in recess because Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., refuses to reconvene the chamber until Senate Democrats approve his short-term spending bill.

Those Senate Democrats, however, are not budging from their demands that any bill that would reopen the government reverse GOP cuts to Medicaid and extend premium subsidies that help many Americans purchase insurance on Affordable Care Act exchanges.

So, there’s no hope for an early end to the standoff, and some lawmakers are projecting the shutdown will continue well into November.

Meanwhile, most federal wor

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