(The Center Square) – For the 14th time, U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday filibustered Republicans’ funding bill to reopen the government, guaranteeing that the ongoing shutdown, now on its 35th day, will be the longest in U.S. history.

The government has remained closed since Oct. 1, after Democratic senators first blocked the House-passed Continuing Resolution that would have extended federal funding until mid-November.

Democrats will not provide the necessary votes for any funding deal unless Republicans promise to make permanent the pandemic-era expansion of the Obamacare Premium Tax Credit. Because such a proposal would cost at least $350 billion and fail to address underlying health care policy issues, Republican leaders have refused.

In the meantime, dozens of critical fede

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