It’s been only a few weeks since the government opened up again, after a Democrat-instigated shutdown that lasted weeks and cost taxpayers a ton of money.

It was a failed attempt to force Republicans in Congress to raid taxpayers’ wallets for more than a trillion dollars for benefits for illegal aliens and other Democrat Party priorities.

Now another shutdown could be looming, again because of Democrats.

The latest conflict arose when Senate Republicans were trying to advance a funding deal before the end of the year.

But Colorado Democrats refused.

The work has focused on a five-bill spending plan that would remove many of the obstacles that could create issues as another deadline approaches in a few weeks.

A report from Fox News said the maneuver ended the vote plans and sent the senators home for the holiday break without finishing what they wanted.

The report said the bills would address the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce, Justice, Interior, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development

The plan, the report said, appeared “primed and ready to advance a government funding package.”

But Democrat objections forced Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to accept a delay.

”The Democrats are indicating that they want to do them, they just didn’t want to do them today,” Thune said in the Fox report. “So hopefully, when we get back, we’ll test that proposition, and hope that we’ll take them to face value, and hopefully we’ll get moving, and get moving quickly, because we’ve got a lot to do.”

It was Colorado Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet who messed up the works, the report said.

They erupted over Trump administration plans for changes at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in their leftist state’s most leftist enclave of Boulder.

It means money for that party-university town.

Fox confirmed, “Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought called the facility in a post on X ‘one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,’ and vowed a comprehensive review was underway and that any ‘vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location.’”

Hickenlooper claimed he was trying to “protect the budget that was already there” for what he called a “scientific institution.”

The Colorado Democrats appeared to be only ones left with a “hold” on budget matters.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., whose agenda to spend a trillion tax dollars was the reason for the earlier shutdown, claimed, “What the president did to Colorado is disgusting, and Republicans ought to get him to change.”

The report pointed out the failure does “tee up what will likely be a brutal January” in the Senate, leading up to the end-of-the-month deadline for new spending allocations.

Also unresolved is the issue that caused the first shutdown, Democrats’ demands for Obamacare subsidies that Democrats scheduled to expire at the end of 2025, but now demand an extension.

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is currently a news editor for the WND News Center, and also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.