WASHINGTON - US Senators have for a fourth time failed to pass spending proposals to reopen the federal government, extending the ongoing shutdown into next week.

Two separate spending proposals, one from the Democrats and one from Republicans, failed to reach the required 60-vote threshold.

With both sides deadlocked, the White House on Friday said it would be left with the "unenviable task" of mass lay-offs to keep essential government services operating if the shutdown continues, which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described as "fiscal sanity".

The scope of those potential lay-offs remain unclear but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB.

A total of 54 Senators voted in favor of a Republican-led proposal to fund the government, with 44 against and two not voting.

A separate, Democrat-led proposal also failed, with 45 voting in favor and 52 against.

Both sides have continued to blame the other for the shutdown, with little sign of any progress in negotiations.

As part of the federal government's response to the shutdown, Vought on Friday announced the suspension of $2.1bn in federal infrastructure funding for Chicago, in addition to the previous freezing of $18bn in infrastructure spending in New York City and the cancellation of approximately $8bn in funding for federal energy projects in some Democratic-run states. (Source: BBC News)

Story Date: October 5, 2025