With thousands of federal workers either fired, placed on administrative leave, or at immediate risk of losing their jobs, AFGE members have concluded that a widespread government shutdown has been underway since January 20 and will continue to spread whether Senators vote yes or no.

The Senate finds itself in a familiar position, working to avoid a partial government shutdown with just hours to spare.

Democrats are facing intense pressure to push back against the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unofficial department created by executive order and nominally led by billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk,

Sources tell WIRED that Elon Musk has wanted a government shutdown in part because it would potentially make it easier to eliminate the jobs of hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

By design, budget reconciliation mostly addresses the parts of federal spending that are not part of the appropriations process. This includes mandatory programs like Medicare, Medicaid, food assistance, student loans and farm aid that get automatically funded unless Congress makes changes to their structure.

Unelected White House official Elon Musk is desperate for the federal government to grind to a halt — so he can continue dismantling it.