USA TODAY National
WASHINGTON – The government shutdown had no end in sight as it reached its 21st day, with Democrats and Republicans remaining bitterly divided over how to resolve rising health care costs and federal workers set to miss their first full paychecks by the end of the week.
It’s also not clear whether the government has the funds to pay military members their next paychecks on Oct. 31.
Democrats continue to insist on greater health care spending – an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies and the restoration of Medicaid benefits – as a condition of reopening the government. But Republicans contend the government should reopen before health care talks begin.
The Senate failed for the 11th time this week to approve a House-passed bill to fund the government through Nov. 21. Three Democrats have joined Republicans, but the GOP needs another five to overcome a 60-vote threshold to send the legislation to President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the shutdown grinds on with workers missing paychecks, flights increasingly delayed and lower-income families threatened with losing food assistance.
Catch up with live updates from USA TODAY.
Trump would meet with Democratic leaders only after shutdown ends
Asked whether he would meet with congressional Democratic leaders, Trump told reporters at the White House he would “love to,” but only after the shutdown ends.
“They’re doing this because they have Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Trump said, accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York. The Democratic leaders have refused to vote to reopen the government without health care concessions.
“I would love to meet with them,” Trump said. “We want the country opened first.”
Democrats want to meet with Trump before Asia trip
Schumer and Jeffries reached out to Trump on Tuesday and requested a meeting to talk about the government shutdown before the president goes abroad at the end of the week for a planned trip to Asia.
"Things get worse every day for the American people," Schumer said. "He should sit down with us (and) negotiate in a serious way before he goes away."
Trump is expected to leave on Friday for a multi-country trip that will end at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in South Korea, where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The day before Trump is set to depart, thousands of federal workers will miss their first full paycheck.
"We'll set up an appointment with him anytime, anyplace before he leaves," Schumer said.
Key dates to watch in the shutdown
As the shutdown drags on with no end in sight, here are some key dates ahead:
- On Oct. 22, the shutdown becomes the second longest at 22 days. The longest funding lapse was 35 days in 2018 to 2019.
- On Oct. 24, federal workers will begin missing their first full paychecks. Workers received partial checks on Oct. 10, and the administration shifted funding to pay the military Oct. 15. But more than 1.8 million paychecks – Oct. 24, 28 or 30 depending on the agency – will be withheld from civilian workers, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
- On Nov. 1, open enrollment begins under the Affordable Care Act, nicknamed Obamacare. Premiums are projected to more than double without an extension of subsidies that expire Dec. 31. Most Senate Democrats are voting against reopening the government unless the tax credits are extended, but Republicans contend the government should reopen before health care negotiations.
Trump: ‘We will not be extorted’
Trump repeated his criticism of most Senate Democrats for the government shutdown during a White House lunch with Senate Republicans.
“We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs,” Trump said in the Rose Garden on Oct. 21 about most Democrats insisting on greater health care funding to reopen the government. “Today I’m calling on every Senate Democrat to stop the madness.”
He noted that one Senate Republican wasn’t there. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, has voted with most Democrats against a House bill to fund the government through Nov. 21.
“He’s an automatic no,” Trump said. “Look, if he wanted to come, I’d probably let him come, right? I’d let him come – begrudgingly, but we’d let him come.”
Trump voiced disappointment that tourists couldn’t visit Smithsonian museums, which have closed during the shutdown.
“We should probably just open them,” Trump said.
The GOP has a shutdown scheduling headache
For weeks, the Senate has repeatedly voted down a bill to reopen the government on a short-term basis until Nov. 21. That date is now just a month away, putting Republicans in a tough spot.
With the shutdown dragging on, GOP leaders in Congress will have to decide soon whether to extend that date, and by how much.
Exactly how far out to schedule the new deadline will be a tricky question. Moderates would rather see a shorter funding patch to work out regular appropriations bills, while others don't want any more shutdown brinksmanship until early next year.
Regardless of the scheduling headache, there's still no indication the funding bill would pass, unless Republicans and Democrats can strike a deal on health care.
How many workers have been furloughed?
About 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed during the shutdown and ordered not to report to work.
Employees deemed essential to public safety, including military personnel, law enforcement officers, border patrol and air traffic controllers, are required to work regardless.
Is mail affected by the government shutdown?
The U.S. Postal Service will continue to operate even amid the government shutdown as it does not depend on Congress for funding.
In a Sept. 25 statement, USPS said it’s an “independent entity that is generally funded through the sale of our products and services, and not by tax dollars.”
How long has the government shutdown lasted?
This is the 21st day of the government shutdown, officially marking three weeks into an impasse by lawmakers on Capitol Hill that have left thousands of federal workers without paychecks, increasingly delayed flights and threatened food assistance for lower-income families.
This is the 15th shutdown since 1981, and is now tied for the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history. The longest shutdown happened during Trump’s first term, lasting 35 days between Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019.
More than 75% of nuclear weapons agency’s staff furloughed
The National Nuclear Security Agency, which designs, builds and oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons, furloughed around 1,400 employees Monday. Under 400 remain on the job without pay in order to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear stockpile.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters Monday that the furloughs at NNSA are unprecedented. The agency plays a central role in an ongoing $1.7 trillion effort to modernize U.S. nuclear weapons and their production facilities.
“We’ve never furloughed workers in the NNSA,” Wright said during a press conference outside the Nevada National Security Site. “This should not happen.”
The NNSA’s federal employees oversee a workforce of more than 60,000 contractors who do much of the hands-on work with nuclear weapons. The agency’s workforce is highly specialized and difficult to replace.
Wright, in an Oct. 16 interview with USA TODAY, warned that “tens of thousands” of those contractors face layoffs as soon as this week if the shutdown continues.
– Davis Winkie
Federal workers missing paychecks turn to food pantries
Cupboards are starting to get bare for federal employees around Akron, Ohio, working without a paycheck in the shutdown so workers have begun turning to food pantries to make ends meet.
Some workers at the Akron-Canton Airport and other federal agencies were able to get some assistance Oct. 20 and 21 from the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which distributed food at the MAPS Air Museum.
The airport is home to dozens of federal workers from the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and Customs and Border Protection.
"It's definitely been rough," said Derick Bauman, a Kent resident with a wife and three young children, who helps train helicopter crews with the National Guard. "Every little bit helps."
Food bank supporter Bob Gessner said they sponsored a similar food distribution during the longest shutdown in 2018 and 2019 that stretched for 35 days.
"We know we can't solve all the stress these workers have with mortgages, car payments and school supplies for their kids," he said. "This is one thing we can do to help them."
– Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal
Businesses outside national parks suffer in shutdown
At the small eatery Park Provisions outside Glacier National Park, owner Stacy Schnebel said business dropped off a cliff as the shutdown began.
“Starting the first week of the shutdown, it was tumbleweed,” Schnebel told USA TODAY from Coram, Montana. “We've lived through shutdowns before, but my business depends on those people who are furloughed and may or may not be receiving their backpay when they go back to work.”
The National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the parks, estimates that gateway communities risk losing up to $80 million in visitor spending each day during the shutdown for services such as hotels, restaurants, shopping, gear rentals and more.
– Ignacio Calderon and Eve Chen
Obamacare premium hikes lend 'urgency' to resolving shutdown: Jeffries
Premium notices for the Affordable Care Act are beginning to land in mailboxes nationwide – as the U.S. Postal Service continues to operate despite the shutdown – spreading an ominous warning about how much costs could rise if Congress doesn’t act.
Subsidies in the form of tax credits are set to expire Dec. 31. Democrats would like to extend them. Republicans would like to make adjustments to the program, too, and refuses to negotiate an extension during the shutdown.
But open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and premiums are projected to double on average. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, said the issue needs to be resolved “with urgency.”
“All across the country right now, tens of millions of Americans are receiving notices that are shocking them in terms of the premiums, co-pays and deductible increases.”
Flights are delayed but not necessarily from shutdown
Air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration officers continue to work during the shutdown as essential personnel.
But without paychecks, absences tend to increase as staffers scramble for other income.
The Federal Aviation Administration Oct. 19 that staffing issues were delaying travel at airports in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Newark.
It wasn’t clear, however, if the issues are tied directly to the shutdown. Bad weather in the Northeast could have been to blame, according to Mike Arnot, a spokesperson for Cirium, an aviation data analytics company.
– Zach Wichter
Federal courts furlough non-essential workers
Federal courts had enough reserves to keep staffers on duty for three weeks, but have now furloughed non-essential workers as the funding lapse extended beyond Oct. 20.
The Supreme Court has closed its building to the public, although the justices will continue hearing cases.
While other federal judges − district, bankruptcy and appellate − will also continue working, they will be joined only by essential staffers, the U.S. Administrative Office of the Courts announced.
The court announcements come as the high court prepares for arguments in several high-profile cases. On Nov. 5, the justices are scheduled to hear arguments about whether Trump overstepped his authority in imposing tariffs on countries around the world. Trump has said he might attend the hearing.
Will I still receive my Social Security check?
Yes, Social Security payments, including Supplemental Security Income and benefits for retirement, disability and survivors, continue during a government shutdown.
Because Social Security benefit programs are considered mandatory spending by law, they are not impacted by the lapse in funding appropriations. Payments are still distributed on a regular schedule during the shutdown.
Social Security offices are still open during the shutdown, but only some services are available.
– Sudiksha Kochi and Melina Khan
Davis Winkie's role covering nuclear threats and national security at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown hits 3 weeks as furloughs mount
Reporting by Bart Jansen, Rebecca Morin, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Joey Garrison and Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Associated Press US and World News Video
Raw Story
Reuters US Politics
Associated Press US News
CBS Sacramento Dixon News
The Public's Radio
The Journal Gazette
America News