Senate Democrats call for talks as government shutdown drags on

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D–OR) spoke through the night, calling for lawmakers to reopen the government and denouncing President Trump’s actions.

October 22, 2025

Keenan Gibson,

(NBC)- Sen. Jeff Merkley (D–OR) spoke through the night, calling for lawmakers to reopen the government and denouncing President Trump’s actions. “Now it is our United States Constitution under attack by the President of the United States,” Merkley said.

Top congressional Democrats are demanding a meeting with the president to negotiate an end to the shutdown — and to address an expected spike in health care premiums affecting millions of Americans.

“The president should meet with us,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–NY). “It’s not me, him, or anything political. It’s that the people are in crisis.”

But President Donald Trump has refused to sit down with Democrats unless they first agree to reopen the government. “I will only meet if they let the country open,” he said. “They have to let the country open.”

Trump met with Senate Republicans Tuesday, who remain unified in blaming Democrats for the deadlock. “We are going to keep voting to open up the government,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–SD). “Eventually, the Democrats — hopefully sooner or later — are going to come around.”

Even informal bipartisan talks have ground to a halt. “There can’t be another conversation that continues until we open the government,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R–OK).

Meanwhile, the shutdown’s toll is mounting for ordinary Americans. Thousands of federal workers have missed paychecks, prompting food banks across the country to see surging demand.

“If those SNAP dollars get cut in half, that would mean a local food bank would have to quadruple their output just to meet that need,” said Craig Rice of the Manna Food Center.

With SNAP food benefits set to run out by November 1, and no signs of progress in Congress, pressure is mounting on both parties to break the stalemate before millions of Americans face deeper hardship.