Senate Majority Chief John Thune speaks on the Senate flooring on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025.
Senate TV
On the Senate flooring Thursday afternoon, Majority Chief John Thune commented on the failed vote to advance the invoice to pay federal employees, and expressed exasperation at his Democratic colleagues.
“I don’t know how you would explain — if you have any federal employees — how you would vote against something that would make sure that, in the middle of a government shutdown, if they continue to work, that they get paid. That’s all it was. Very simple, very straightforward,” Thune mentioned. “I think the other side is in a very bad headspace right now, to vote against something like that.”
He continued: “If you have any federal employees in your state, obviously a lot of them here in this area, all of our staffs are currently not getting paid. Sen. Johnson tried to correct that today by calling up a bill which we just voted on and which once again Democrats here in this chamber voted against.”
Thune mentioned he “can’t explain what’s going on on the other side of the aisle, but they consistently come down here and vote against paying people who are working, working every single day and not getting paid.”
