BREAKING: Democrats vote down GOP funding bill, putting government on path to shutdown

Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in almost seven years.

The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. It came as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans are trying to “bully” Democrats by refusing to negotiate on an extension of health care benefits and other priorities.

A government closure would mean that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or laid off. Trump threatened retribution on Democrats for a potential shutdown, saying Tuesday that it could include “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”