Sen. John Kennedy doesn’t sound optimistic about the government reopening anytime soon.
The Louisiana Republican told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday that he expects the shutdown to drag on for at least another week or two as Democrats continue to block GOP efforts to resume funding. “I think we’re going to be shut down at least 10 more days, maybe two weeks, maybe longer than that,” Kennedy said. “I’ve voted 14 times to open up government. They’ve voted 14 times to keep it closed down. And all they ever do is talk and stamp their little feet and blame us.”
Democrats, fresh off big election wins earlier in the week, have reportedly decided to hold firm, claiming reopening too soon could weaken their negotiating leverage. Kennedy said he entered the week hopeful after hearing colleagues predict the impasse could end quickly, but he’s since lost confidence. “Most members of the Senate are running around like ants in a sugar bowl, like a bunch of headless chickens,” he said. “But in my opinion, we’re nowhere near getting out of this shutdown.”
He also dismissed talk that moderate Democrats were ready to break ranks and vote to reopen the government. “I don’t believe they will support us,” he said. “Around here, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do that shows what you believe, and everything else is just cottage cheese.”
Republicans have proposed reopening the government by passing three full-year spending bills and reinstating federal workers, but their plan does not include an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies — a sticking point for Senate Democrats.
The Trump administration has already begun using tariff revenue to fund the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program and has allocated roughly half the funds needed to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running through November. But as Kennedy made clear, the broader stalemate shows no signs of ending soon.