Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) held the Senate floor for more than 22 hours in protest of President Donald Trump and the government shutdown.
A major milestone in the government shutdown is just around the corner
The ongoing government shutdown could disrupt paychecks, Head Start programs, and health benefits by November.
The government shutdown entered its 23rd day after marathon speeches on the Senate floor highlighted rising tensions as lawmakers wrestle with how to break an impasse that has disrupted government services, furloughed 750,000 federal workers and forced many more to work without pay.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) held the Senate chamber for more than 22 hours to protest President Donald Trump and the government shutdown, less than the 25-hour, five-minute speech record set by Sen. Cory Booker earlier this year.
In his speech, Merkley criticized President Trump for planning a weekend trip to Asia that would see him leave the country for several days amid the government shutdown.
“He should absolutely sit down right now and talk to you about how to solve this problem for millions of Americans,” Merkley said, calling President Trump’s decision to fly across the world during the government shutdown “horrible.”
President Trump attacked Democrats earlier this week at a White House lunch with Senate Republicans, saying, “We will not be coerced by this crazy plot of theirs.”
The partisan battle over the government shutdown comes as federal workers are expected to not receive their first full paycheck by the end of this week and it is unclear whether the government will have the funds to pay military personnel their next paycheck on Oct. 31.
Democrats continue to insist on expanding health care costs — extending Affordable Care Act subsidies and restoring Medicaid benefits — as a condition for reopening the government. But Republicans say the government should be reopened before health care talks begin.
The Senate on Wednesday failed for the 12th time to approve a government funding bill passed by the House by Nov. 21. Several Democrats joined Republicans in earlier votes, but there was not enough bipartisan support to pass the 60-vote threshold to send the bill to Trump.
As lawmakers remain at an impasse over the government shutdown, some officials hope to pass a short-term funding bill that will reopen the government’s doors until late next year.
Rep. Jason Smith (R-Missouri), who also chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, said Wednesday that some lawmakers are proposing a continuing resolution, or temporary spending bill, through December 2026.
“December 21, 2026 is what I’ve been hearing here as a proposal, as an opportunity for continued resolution,” Smith said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. “As you know, we’re operating on a one-year resolution from last year. We’re looking at what was appropriated when Biden was president.”
The Senate has repeatedly failed to approve House-passed bills that would fund the government until a Nov. 21 deadline, which is fast approaching. But a temporary funding bill lasting more than a year also has little chance of passing.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it would be “irresponsible” to pass another short-term funding bill.
“It’s completely unnecessary and outrageous that members of Congress are proposing to hand over all spending authority to the administration and extend this whole thing for another year with a one-year continuance resolution,” Wasserman Schultz said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
The Department of Agriculture said in an Oct. 10 letter to state officials that if the shutdown continues, there will not be enough funds to pay out all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November.
“If current spending shortfalls continue, approximately 42 million Americans will not have the funds to pay their full November SNAP benefits,” the letter, signed by SNAP Development Director Sasha Gersten Perl, says.
While the closure continues with no end in sight, here are some important upcoming dates:
- On Wednesday, the shutdown lasted 22 days, making it the second-longest period since the 1995-1996 Clinton administration, when it lasted 21 days. The longest funding lapse was 35 days in 2018-2019.
- On Friday, federal workers will begin losing their first full paycheck. Workers received partial checks on October 10, and the administration transferred funds to pay the military on October 15. But more than $1.8 million in paychecks (scheduled to be paid Oct. 24, 28, or 30, depending on the agency) will be withheld from civilian workers, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
- On November 1, open enrollment begins under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Premiums are expected to more than double unless the subsidy is extended, which is due to expire on December 31st. Most Senate Democrats have voted against reopening the government unless tax credits are extended, but Republicans say the government should reopen before health care negotiations.
For weeks, the Senate has repeatedly rejected a bill that would have reopened the government in the short term by Nov. 21. With less than a month until that day, Republicans are in a difficult position.
As the government shutdown drags on, Republican leaders in Congress will soon have to decide whether and by how much to extend that deadline.
Exactly how far in the future the new deadline should be scheduled will be a difficult question. Moderates would rather have a shorter funding patch to create a regular spending bill, while other moderates don’t want any more shutdown brinkmanship until early next year.
Despite the scheduling headaches, there is still no sign that the funding bill will pass unless Republicans and Democrats reach an agreement on health care.
Yes, Social Security payments, including Supplemental Security Income, retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, will continue during the government shutdown.
Social Security benefit programs are considered mandatory expenditures by law and are therefore not affected by the expiration of appropriations. Payments will continue to be made regularly during the shutdown.
Social Security offices will remain open during the closure, but only some services will be available.
