The Texas delegation maintained partisan divisions during the fourth day of the federal shutdown.
The federal shutdown reached its fourth day as Texas lawmakers from both parties maintained their party lines during crucial votes on government funding. The Senate failed to pass the continuing resolutions through two separate votes because Republican senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn joined their party members in supporting the measures, which required 60 votes to pass.
Senate Stalemate Deepens Political Divide
The Senate failed to pass two separate funding proposals for the fourth consecutive day because Republican-backed measures obtained 54 votes while Democratic opposition reached 44 votes below the necessary supermajority threshold.
Senate Democrats caused the shutdown through their refusal to support the House-approved clean Continuing Resolution, according to Senator John Cornyn, who released a statement highlighting their preference for a government shutdown over bipartisan cooperation for the national welfare.
Cruz and Cornyn supported Republican-sponsored funding bills that would have maintained government operations for 45 days while excluding healthcare provisions that Democrats wanted to include. The Democratic healthcare proposal gained 45 votes of support while facing 52 votes of opposition.
Healthcare Becomes Central Battleground
The main point of the dispute revolves around healthcare policy, as Democrats insist on restoring premium tax credits for health insurance subsidies and reversing Medicaid reductions made by the Trump administration.
The Republican Party claims Democrats use the shutdown to provide healthcare benefits to undocumented immigrants, although Democratic leaders have repeatedly denied these accusations.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged Democrats to reduce their healthcare requirements, but Minority Leader Chuck Schumer insisted on extending the expiring premium tax credits. The Senate Democratic caucus refused to budge despite intense pressure because only three members from their party, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto, and Maine’s Independent Angus King, voted for the Republican proposal during the previous week.
The shutdown creates significant problems for Texas, as it has the fourth-largest number of federal civilian workers, with over 130,000 employees. The Texas workforce comprises five major agencies, including the Veterans Affairs, the Army, the Air Force, the Defense Department, and the Treasury. The Defense Department employs more than 200,000 Texans, comprising both civilian and uniformed personnel.
Texas Representative Monica De La Cruz from the border district condemned Democratic opposition to the continuing resolution because they preferred political games over supporting Border Patrol agents and federal workers. The shutdown forces federal workers to continue their duties unpaid while non-essential personnel risk being placed on unpaid leave.
Congressional Earmarks in Jeopardy
The shutdown has left $675 million in earmarked Texas funds at risk, which support 350 different infrastructure, research, and community development projects throughout the state. The community project funding initiatives, known as earmarks, represent substantial investments that Texas legislators from both parties have managed to secure for their respective districts.
The shutdown has become a tool for Trump to pursue his goal of eliminating “Democrat agencies” while he threatens to fire thousands of federal employees. The White House Office of Management and Budget issued a warning about upcoming federal employee terminations, which would sustain vital public services from December 2018 to January 2019, because both parties maintain their firm positions. The Senate's current standoff continues.
The current shutdown is the longest since the 35-day Trump administration shutdown. To pass legislation, it requires eight Democratic votes to reach the 60-vote threshold, so negotiations must become more intense to prevent service disruptions that will impact millions of Texans.