Hopes for a quick end to the government shutdown are fading Friday as Republicans and Democrats dig in for a prolonged fight and President Donald Trump readies plans to unleash layoffs and cuts across the federal government.

Senators have returned to the Capitol for another vote on government funding on the third day of the shutdown, but there has been no sign of any real progress toward ending their standoff.

“Until they have eight or hopefully more — 10 or more — people who want to, decide they want to end the government shutdown, I’m not sure this goes anywhere,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday.

Although Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, the Senate’s filibuster rules make it necessary for the government funding legislation to gain support from at least 60 of the 100 senators. That’s given Democrats a rare opportunity to use their 47 Senate seats to hold out in exchange for policy concessions. The party has chosen to rally on the issue of health care, believing it could be key to their path back to power in Washington.

Here’s what to know about the shutdown:

What a government shutdown means: When a lapse in funding occurs, U.S. law requires federal agencies to cease activity and furlough “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees stay on the job but mostly don’t get paid until after the shutdown ends.Democrats hold out on health care demands: Democrats are demanding that Congress extend health care benefits, while Republicans are trying to wear them down with day after day of voting on a House-passed bill that would reopen the government temporarily, mostly at current spending levels.The administration targets Democratic priorities: OMB Director Russell Vought, a chief architect of Project 2025, met with Trump on Thursday to discuss firing federal workers. The administration has also canceled green energy projects in Democratic states and withheld billions for transportation projects in New York City and Chicago.

Other news we’re following:

Trump says US is in ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels: The president declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants, according to a Trump administration memo obtained by AP on Thursday. The memo appears to represent an extraordinary assertion of presidential war powers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that he ordered a fourth strike on a small boat in the waters off Venezuela that was “trafficking narcotics,” according to a social media post.