Overview
- American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley called on senators to accept the House Republicans’ three‑week stopgap, citing federal workers missing paychecks and describing the situation as a national disgrace.
- Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego praised the union but rejected its appeal, arguing that protecting Affordable Care Act subsidies that could affect tens of millions must come before backing the GOP plan.
- The shutdown has stretched past four weeks, with about 670,000 federal employees furloughed and roughly 730,000 working without pay, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
- Some AFGE local leaders and members in New York criticized Kelley's position, saying a short-term bill without health care commitments would undercut Democrats’ leverage and fail to address looming premium hikes.
- Republican officials and allied groups seized on AFGE’s stance to fault Democrats for the stalemate, highlighting the political pressure on Democrats who have long relied on union support.