Senate rejects Democrats’ spending bill as government remains shut down for 3rd day

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US Senate on Friday rejected a Democratic proposal to extend government funding as the shutdown stretched into its third day.

Lawmakers voted 46-52 against invoking cloture, with Senators Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, and Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, not voting.

While the ongoing shutdown does not automatically result in a full-blown economic crisis, it creates major disruptions for many aspects of American life.

Many federal employees deemed essential are furloughed, or forced to work without pay, while others have been placed on mandatory leave until a new budget is approved. Trump has added the threat of layoffs during this shutdown.