Senate votes again to fund bills

The Senate on Wednesday again rejected dueling Republican and Democratic funding proposals to end the government shutdown, which stretched into its eighth day with no hint of progress toward a resolution.

In a 54-45 vote, the Senate did not advance a GOP-led STOPGAP bill that would have funded the government through the end of November. A Democratic-backed alternative funding bill also failed in a 47-52 vote around 12:50 p.m. ET.

The same three senators in the Democratic caucus who voted with Republicans in previous votes – John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, as well as Angus King of Maine, one of two independents in the caucus – did so again on Wednesday.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., again voted with Democrats to oppose the GOP measure. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, did not vote.

Competing shutdown measures had already failed to pass five previous votes.

Leaders from both parties blame each other for the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.

Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both houses of Congress, want a short-term measure that will resume U.S. government funding at current levels through November 21.

Democrats are demanding that such a bill include health care protections — particularly an extension of Obamacare’s enhanced subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

“Republicans are shutting down the government because they refuse to fix and solve America’s health care crisis,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said before the votes began.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has reportedly floated a possible ramp-up to the shutdown that would include GOP commitments on a deal tied to enhanced Obamacare tax credits, Punchbowl News reported.

But his proposal — which suggests a conversation about ACA expansions after the government reopens — did not sway any Democratic lawmakers Wednesday.

Republicans currently need about eight votes from senators in the Democratic caucus to pass their short-term funding measure to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote Febuster rules.

President Donald Trump and his Republican colleagues have largely refused to negotiate with Democrats, whom they accuse of holding the government hostage.

The Democrats’ funding proposal “does not pass here, does not pass the House, would not be signed by the president,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Rs.D., said on the chamber floor after Schumer.

The White House also warned that federal workers will be furloughed and floated the possibility of denying pay to furloughed employees if the shutdown continues much longer.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday that he agrees that federal law requires furloughed workers to be paid when they return to work.

This is news development. Please check for updates.

– CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo contributed to this report.