Two proposals to end the partial government shutdown failed in Senate Thursday, despite a handful of Republicans who broke along partly lines, including Georgia's own, Sen. Johnny Isakson.
The Republican was one of six who voted with Democrats, saying his decision to do so was really for the some 800,000 federal employees who are still impacted by the shutdown.
"It’s time we put the workers in our government back to work," Sen. Isakson said. "It’s time we were doing what we promised the people of the Untied States of America we’d do. And it's time we went to work."
One of the hang-ups that has forced the government into day 33 of the shutdown is the fight over President Donald Trump's demand to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
“You know a lot of people think Congress’ job is to come to Washington and change things for the better,” said Isakson in his floor remarks. “When it comes to immigration, all we ever change is the subject. We never end the debate, we never pass a result, and often times we would call each other names for the wrong reason."
Isakson mentioned on the floor that he was there for one reason: to thank his colleagues who were ready to do business.
"Because when everybody’s out of work, it’s our fault," Isakson said. "These are the people who carry the mail, empty the garbage, cook in the cafeteria, clean up the parks, and do everything they do without any complaint whatsoever. But they’re out there, many of them not even being paid right now, while we’re sitting here debating a subject that we can’t reach a solution on, period.
Friday will mark the second paycheck that the federal workers will miss since the shutdown started.
The Senate first rejected a Republican plan reopening government through September and giving Trump the $5.7 billion he's demanded for building segments of that wall, a project that he'd long promised Mexico would finance. The 50-47 vote for the measure fell 10 shy of the 60 votes needed to succeed.
Minutes later, senators voted 52-44 for a Democratic alternative that sought to open padlocked agencies through Feb. 8 with no wall money. That was eight votes short. It was aimed at giving bargainers time to seek an accord while getting paychecks to 800,000 beleaguered government workers who are a day from going unpaid for a second consecutive pay period.