Senate Democrats Block Defense Funding for 10th Time

Imagine holding someone’s paycheck hostage; not because they’ve done anything wrong, but because you want something completely unrelated. Now imagine that person wears the uniform of the United States military, serving our nation in increasingly dangerous times.

This isn’t a hypothetical scenario; it’s exactly what’s happening in Washington right now.

As the government shutdown grinds into its third week, federal workers across the country are feeling the squeeze. Empty offices, stalled services, and mounting frustration have become the new normal. The Senate has become a theater of political brinkmanship, with lawmakers trading blame while real Americans suffer the consequences.

Senate Republicans have tried repeatedly to break the deadlock, bringing forward practical solutions to at least partially address the crisis. Their latest attempt seemed like common sense: pass the annual defense appropriations bill to ensure our military gets paid and our national security remains intact. After all, who could possibly object to paying the troops?

The answer, it turns out, is Senate Democrats. On Thursday, they blocked the defense funding bill in a 50-44 vote, marking their tenth consecutive rejection of Republican efforts to restore government funding. Only three Democrats—Senators John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire—had the courage to cross party lines. As Fetterman put it simply: “I think the people in our military deserve to get paid. That’s what my vote is about.”