Federal Union’s Demand to End Shutdown Fails to Sway Democrats

The New York Times ^ | Oct. 28, 2025Updated 7:26 p.m. ET | Megan Mineiro

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Senate Republicans cited a call by the American Federation of Government Employees to pass a funding extension in an attempt to pressure Democrats to relent. The effort fell flat.

Senate Democrats refused on Tuesday to budge after the largest federal workers’ union pleaded with lawmakers to reopen the government and Republicans moved to take advantage of the split.

The day after the American Federation of Government Employees said it was “long past time” to end the government closure, which is entering its fifth week, all but three Democratic-aligned senators voted against taking up a Republican temporary spending bill.

Republicans pounced on the statement from Everett Kelley, the president of the union, imploring senators to end a shutdown that has forced 730,000 federal employees to work without pay and left another 670,000 furloughed without pay.

“That’s from the union that has for years and years and years supported Democrat candidates across the board,” said Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Republican. “They’re saying, ‘Do what Republicans have been saying from the beginning: pass a clean continuing resolution.’”

Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota and the majority leader, added that the union is “about as reliable of a Democrat constituency as you can possibly have.”

“And yet that’s the conclusion they came to,” Mr. Thune said.

In his statement, Mr. Kelley wrote that, “Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” adding: “It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”

The statement was a public shift by Mr. Kelley, who at the outset of the shutdown had called on Republicans to negotiate with Democrats who were insisting that any spending extension also extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, warning that if...

[dakine]

No paychecks = no dues coming in.

Follow the $$$...

[butlerweave]

Dump the democrats

[rhinohunter]

Republicans pounced

There go those pouncey Republicans again...