Senate rejects funding bill as U.S. shutdown ties 35-day record

The U.S. Senate has blocked a Republican-backed funding bill for the 14th time, as the government shutdown reached 35 days on Tuesday — tying the longest in U.S. history.

The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, failed to advance in the Senate after a 54-44 vote, falling short of the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture and proceed.

Three Democrats — Catherine Cortez Masto, Angus King and John Fetterman — broke ranks to support the bill, while Republican Senator Rand Paul opposed it. Senators Cory Booker and Thom Tillis did not vote.

The current deadlock matches the 35-day federal shutdown that occurred between December 2018 and January 2019, during President Donald Trump's first term. It is set to become the longest in U.S. history if no agreement is reached by Wednesday.

“This is now day 35 of the Democrat shutdown, and I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think any of us expected that it would drag on this long,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.

The shutdown began on 1 October following a breakdown in negotiations over federal spending. Tens of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay, and many public services remain suspended.

Ending the impasse will require a bipartisan deal in the Senate that former President Trump — a key influence in the Republican-led House — is willing to endorse.

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