Today, Thursday October 23rd, 2025, the U.S. Senate voted on S.3012, the Shutdown Fairness Act to ensure all essential federal employees like law enforcement, air traffic controllers, and U.S. military personnel receive their paychecks for working during a shutdown.
Senators Mullin and Lankford voted to advance the commonsense bill, which earned the support of most Senators but ultimately failed to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to pass.
U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) released the following statement:
“This Schumer Shutdown is not a game,” Senator Mullin insisted. “Nobody wins in a government shutdown, and in fact, many are losing. Tens of thousands of young parents are worried about caring for their children if food stamps (SNAP) run out, active-duty military families are turning to food banks, and essential federal employees are having to choose between putting gas in their car, paying the electric bill, or buying groceries. Democrats had a chance today to at least pay essential workers during a shutdown—they refused. It’s a horrible situation, but it could end today if five Senate Democrats join me, 51 Republicans, and three of their own Democratic colleagues in a bipartisan vote to turn the lights back on.”
“I’m open to policy discussions on lowering health care costs and fixing unaffordable Obamacare—just like President Trump—but I will not give in while Oklahomans are being held hostage,” Mullin continued. “I’m asking Democrats to support their own clean funding bill and end the pain on American families.”
“Oklahomans should know that my offices are open and fully operational through the conclusion of the Schumer Shutdown and beyond. We are here to help. While many federal agencies have release guidance for shutdowns, my team is available to answer any questions.”
Background:
On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats shut down the federal government after refusing to support a clean 7-week funding bill to keep the lights on until November 21st, 2025.
Since then, the U.S. Senate has taken 12 votes to re-open the federal government and stop inflicting pain on the American people. Senator Mullin has voted to re-open 12 times.
As a reminder, the clean, bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) on the table has had the support of three Senate Democrats since day one of the Schumer Shutdown. Unfortunately, the commonsense bill has repeatedly failed to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to pass.
This clean CR is the same exact language Chuck Schumer authored last year and has supported four times—most recently in March 2025. It has no Republican policy riders. Senate Democrats supported this clean CR 13 times under the Biden administration.
NOTE: Some have asked Senator Mullin about the possibility of “going nuclear” to end the Schumer Shutdown by changing the Senate rules. The Senator posted a social media thread answering this question on X, available HERE.
Senator Mullin keeps Oklahomans updated on the Schumer Shutdown and all timely information via social media and with regular short video updates.
