Close to a month has passed since Democrats refused to pass a continuing resolution, thereby shutting down the federal government.

While GOP lawmakers moved again this week to reopen Washington, Democrats in the Senate were quick to block them. 

Only three Democrats voted with Republicans to reopen government

That's according to The Hill, which noted how on Tuesday Democrats thwarted a bill which would restore funding, marking the 13th time they had done so.

While this week's measure received 54 votes in support, it required backing from at least 60 senators in order to overcome the filibuster rule.

All Democrats opposed it save for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Maine Sen. Angus King is an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and he too voted to end the shutdown.

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer adopted a defiant tone before the vote, insisting that Republicans must negotiate over the restoration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

Chuck Schumer says Americans face "a health care crisis"

"Republicans do not even want to talk about fixing health care. Americans are on the brink of a health care crisis unlike we have seen in our lifetimes," The Hill quoted him as saying.

In response, Senate Majority Leader John Thune insisted that any discussion regarding ACA subsidies can only come after federal funding has been restored.

BREAKING: Senate Democrats block government funding bill for 13th time https://t.co/9DvKZmh0Rx

— The Hill (@thehill) October 28, 2025

The intransigence shown by Democrats has brought criticism even from some of their longtime supporters, such as the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

Union head calls on Senate to "end this shutdown today"

"This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together," AFGE national president Everett Kelley said in a statement.

"It's time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today," he added. "No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today."

The Hill cited data published by the Bipartisan Policy Center which showed that some 670,000 federal workers have been furloughed.

What's more, another 730,000 are currently working without pay. The Hill noted that many federal employees received their last check on October 10 but did not get paid again at the end of last week.