Government shutdown live updates as Senate prepares for 11th vote to fund government
What to know on Day 20 of the government shutdown:
- The Senate on Monday is voting for an 11th time on advancing a House-passed measure to fund the government and end the ongoing shutdown. The bill has fallen short of the 60 votes needed to advance in every vote so far, and there are no signs that the dynamic has changed. The next vote is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune is also expected to bring up a bill this week that would pay federal employees and military service members who have continued to work during the shutdown. Advancing the legislation would require support from Democrats, who blocked a long-term defense spending bill from advancing last week.
- The House is expected to remain away from Washington this week as GOP leaders continue to put the responsibility on the Senate to reopen the government. The House hasn't voted since Sept. 19. Speaker Mike Johnson said he would bring the House back if the Senate voted to pay federal workers and members of the military, but indicated he thinks that is unlikely.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the nation's nuclear stockpile, began furloughing the "large majority" of staffers on Monday, though "mission-critical" workers will remain on the job.
Jeffries says House Republicans "are divorced from reality"
At a press conference at the Capitol, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his Republican colleagues in the lower chamber are "divorced from reality."
"And [they] have continued to function as nothing more than wholly owned subsidiaries of Donald Trump and his extreme administration," the New York Democrat said in response to a question about the House GOP's strategy. "Republicans have done nothing to make life better for the American people."
He said Republicans' vows during the 2024 campaign to lower prices have not been fulfilled, citing the cost of housing, electricity, child care and more.
"And now, because of Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, tens of millions of Americans are about to experience these dramatically increased health care premiums, such that they will be unable to see a doctor when they need one, when their children need one or when their family needs one," he said. "At the end of the day, this is about the health care of the American people. And this is about driving down the high cost of living."
Jeffries added later that "Donald Trump definitively needs to get involved" to kickstart negotiations over ending the shutdown. He also mentioned that he spoke to House Speaker Mike Johnson over the weekend, without providing details.
Schumer: "Republicans need to wake up from whatever dream they're in"
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the GOP posture during the shutdown in remarks on the Senate floor, marking what he called "another week of Donald Trump's government shutdown."
The New York Democrat said "Republicans seem happy not to work, happy not to negotiate, happy to let health care premiums spike for over 20 million working and middle-class Americans."
"It's been over a month since the House of Representatives even took a single roll-call vote," Schumer said. "That's shameful. That's derelict."
Referring to the Democrats, Schumer said "our position remains the same: we want to end the shutdown as soon as we can and fix the ACA premium crisis that looms over 20 million hard-working Americans." And he emphasized that the tax credits issue is "not a fix-it-later issue," but a "fix-it-now issue," because Americans will soon have to decide on their health care plans during open enrollment.
"Americans want to see the government reopened as soon as possible, and Democrats agree — we're at the ready," Schumer said. "But Republicans need to wake up from whatever dream they're in, because fixing the ACA will require them to take action."
Thune: "We're not going to negotiate on anything until Democrats stop holding government funding hostage"
Senate Majority Leader John Thune reiterated his position in remarks on the Senate floor as the chamber convened, saying he has "made it clear from the beginning that Republicans are willing to have a discussion" about how to address Democrats' health care concerns. He added that he's "perfectly willing to guarantee Democrats a vote."
"But none of that is going to happen until Democrats reopen the government," Thune said. "We're not going to negotiate on anything until Democrats stop holding government funding hostage."
Thune, a South Dakota Republican, blasted Democrats for claiming that they can't fund the government until the health care crisis that they blame on the GOP is solved.
"You have to give the Democrats credit for one thing — and that's a healthy dose of gall," Thune said.
The majority leader said "it is truly amazing how a program Democrats created and tax credits that they chose to sunset have now become the Republicans' crisis."
"Republicans in fact never had anything to do with it. Democrats created Obamacare, alone. They implemented the enhanced tax credits, alone. And they chose a sunset date for those tax credits, alone," he said.
Thune argued "the biggest driver of the shutdown is not health care or any other issue, it's the Democrats' far-left base."
"For the sake of the American people, let's hope that there are some Democrat senators who will eventually put the needs of their constituents over the demands of their far-left base and work with Republicans to pass the clean, nonpartisan funding measure that is laying right here in front of us today," Thune said.
Senate convenes ahead of 5:30 vote
The Senate convened at 3 p.m. A procedural vote on the House-passed measure to fund the government is set for 5:30 p.m.
Three Democrats have consistently voted to move forward on the measure. Republicans need five more to cross the aisle and advance the bill. There is no indication at the moment that any other Democrats are willing to do so.
Energy secretary highlights furlough of "large majority" of employees at nuclear agency
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking at a news conference in Nevada, said a "large majority" of employees at the federal agency that oversees the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile have been furloughed, though he noted that "there is a certain number of mission-critical folks that are still working."
"We have run out of federal funds for federal workers," Wright said, outlining that 1,400 employees have been furloughed across the National Nuclear Security Administration throughout the country for the first time in the agency's 25-year history.
"This has never happened before … This should not happen," Wright said. "But this was as long as we could stretch the funding for the federal workers. We were able to do some gymnastics and stretch it further for the contractors."
Wright was set to visit the Nevada National Security Sites north of Las Vegas later in the day. All 68 employees there have been furloughed, while contractors continue to work using funds tied to nuclear modernization passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act over the summer.
Those funds will last only through the end of the month. After that, if the shutdown continues, up to roughly 2,200 of the 3,000 contractors in Nevada may also be furloughed. Nationwide, about 100,000 contractors tied to NNSA operations could be affected. Wright called the workers "among the most critical in the country" and said losing them would be a blow not just to families but to national security. Unlike federal employees, contractors are not guaranteed back pay.
The energy secretary emphasized that "we need to maintain our nuclear stockpile." And he stressed that Congress must reopen the government as soon as possible.
"We need to open the federal government as quickly as we can," Wright said, touting the House-passed measure to fund the government until Nov. 21.
Wright thanked Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Nevada Democrat, who is one of three senators who have crossed party lines to vote in favor of advancing the House-passed measure. And he suggested that Nevada's other senator, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen, wants to support the measure as well and said he suspects she will be "part of reopening the government."
"We want to get the government open as soon as we can, we want to keep all the families employed, and we want to keep on top of the critical work to not only maintain our existing nuclear stockpile, but push forward our efforts to modernize and advance that," Wright said.
By Andres Gutierrez and Kaia Hubbard
Transportation secretary warns of travel disruptions as shutdown continues
Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, appeared on "Fox and Friends" on Monday morning and warned that there may be more travel disruptions as air traffic controllers go without pay and look for a way to get cash in their pockets. Air traffic controllers are considered "excepted" employees who work without pay during a funding lapse and receive back pay once the shutdown is over.
"They got a partial paycheck a week ago Tuesday. Their next paycheck comes a week from Tuesday, and in that paycheck there will be no dollars. They don't get paid," Duffy said.
"I think what you might see is more disruptions in travel as more of them look to say, how do I bridge the gap between the check that's not coming and putting food on my table?" he continued. "And we have heard they are taking Uber jobs. They are doing DoorDash, they are figuring out ways to keep their families afloat … And, again, a lot of them are paycheck to paycheck."
Duffy said that "as this gets closer to payday, I think you could see more of that through the airspace."
Johnson says he would bring House back if Senate passes bill to pay federal workers
The speaker told reporters that he would bring the House back if the Senate passes a bill to pay federal employees and military service members who have continued to work during the shutdown, saying "the ball would be back in our court." But he cast doubt on the measure passing the upper chamber, despite Senate GOP leaders' plans to bring up the bill this week.
"I don't have any faith that they're going to pass it, though," Johnson said. "I think that they're going to continue to play games."
Johnson to meet with Trump this afternoon
The House speaker told CBS News that he plans to meet with President Trump in the Oval Office this afternoon. The president is hosting Louisiana State University's championship baseball team at the White House.
Johnson also said he spoke with the president this morning.
Johnson on staff cuts at nuclear agency: "It can't be any more serious than this"
Johnson was asked about plans by the agency that oversees the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile to furlough large portions of its staff to address the funding shortfall. The speaker said the issue is "very serious."
Johnson said he recently spoke with former Rep. Brandon Williams who now works as under secretary for nuclear security at the Energy Department. Johnson said Williams told him how serious the situation is in terms of national defense.
"Every day that the government is shut down, it is a danger to the American people," Johnson said. "We are in a nuclear arms race with adversaries right now. It can't be any more serious than this."
Johnson added that "America is the last great superpower on the planet, but we have to maintain that status."
Johnson says he hopes Democrats "come to their senses" after "protests and publicity stunts"
House Speaker Mike Johnson railed against Democrats for "publicity stunts" in the shutdown fight, urging them to reopen the government now that the "No Kings" protests are in the rearview mirror.
Johnson, speaking at a news conference alongside GOP leaders and members of the House Freedom Caucus at the Capitol, said "the politics were on full display" over the weekend.
"This has always been about the spectacle," he said.
The speaker took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, claiming "the shutdown is about one thing and one thing alone: Chuck Schumer's political survival." And he said now that the protests are over, Republicans' "plea" is that Schumer "is finally now ready to go to work and end the shutdown and stop inflicting pain on the American people."
"Now that Democrats have had their protests and publicity stunts, I just pray that they come to their senses and end this shutdown and reopen the government this week," Johnson said.
Johnson said that the shutdown is now the longest full shutdown in modern history, since the two shutdowns that have lasted longer only affected parts of the government.
"The Democrats are making some very costly history here," Johnson said.
The speaker also noted how Democrats have opposed a "clean" measure to keep the government, calling it "a political stunt."
"It's the first time it's been done, and it is the most costly, most selfish, most dangerous political stunt in the history of the United States Congress," Johnson said. "And the Democrats have zero shame about this."
When is the next Senate government shutdown vote?
The Senate will reconvene at 3 p.m., and vote on a procedural motion on the House-passed funding bill at 5:30 p.m., according to a notice from Majority Whip John Barrasso's office.
Senate Republicans to attend White House lunch Tuesday
Senate Republicans have been invited to a lunch with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the plans confirmed to CBS News.
The lunch, expected in the Rose Garden, was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Agency overseeing nuclear stockpile planning for deep staff cuts as shutdown continues
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee warned last Friday that the federal agency that oversees the nation's stockpile of nuclear weapons is planning to implement deep staff reductions as the government shutdown continues.
GOP Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama said lawmakers were informed Thursday night that "carry-over" funding that has been used by the National Nuclear Security Administration to remain operating at full capacity during the shutdown is close to running out.
"They will have to lay off 80% of their employees," Rogers told reporters. His office later clarified that the employees would be furloughed, not permanently laid off. "These are not employees that you want to go home. They're managing and handling a very important strategic asset for us. They need to be at work and being paid."
The National Nuclear Security Administration is part of the Department of Energy, and one of its core missions is "to ensure the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear stockpile through the application of unparalleled science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing," according to its website.
The notice provided by the NNSA to Rogers' office said that money used to pay salaries and expenses was expected to run out on Saturday, Oct. 18. Roughly 1,400 employees were to be placed on furlough, while 375 employees would continue to work, the agency said.
By Stefan Becket, Patrick Maguire, Melissa Quinn
Sen. Bernie Sanders calls GOP position "unprecedented," saying "they need to negotiate"
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, said on "CBS Mornings" that a guaranteed vote on Democrats' health care priorities won't be enough to reopen the government, and he expressed alarm over the "broken" and "dysfunctional" health care system.
Along with the health insurance premiums that are set to rise without an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, Sanders cited the toll taken on lower-income Americans by Medicaid restrictions in President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" that became law earlier this year, arguing it will result in thousands of deaths.
Sanders said the offer from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to hold a vote on the tax credits is "no good" because even if it were to pass the Senate, the president could veto the legislation, or the House could simply choose not to take it up.
"You know what's going on right now in the House? The Speaker of the House, Mr. Johnson, has given his people a five-week vacation. They're not even in Washington, D.C.," Sanders said. "Before I vote on a bill that will, right now, allow 50,000 people to die unnecessarily, yeah, I want it absolutely clear that that will not happen, period."
Sanders argued that what Senate Republicans are doing by refusing to negotiate until the government is reopened is "unprecedented." He said because the GOP needs support from a number of Democrats to move forward on legislation to fund the government, "they need to negotiate."
"You know how much negotiations they've done? Zero," Sanders said. "Our way or the highway."
Senate to vote again Monday on House-passed measure to reopen government
The Senate reconvenes Monday afternoon and is expected to vote in the evening on a House-passed measure to fund the government until Nov. 21.
The vote marks the 11th attempt to advance the measure, which needs 60 votes to move forward in the upper chamber. With 53 Republicans, support from Democrats is necessary to reopen the government. And while Republicans have been hoping to pick up new support from Democrats on the measure with the repeat votes, the bill has failed to gain any new votes from across the aisle since the shutdown began.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada have voted with Republicans in support of the measure, along with Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats. GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has voted against the bill.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune attempted an alternative approach to restart some funding with a procedural vote on an individual year-long appropriations bill to fund the Pentagon that was blocked by Democrats. This week, he's expected to bring up a bill this week that would pay federal employees and military service members who have continued to work during the shutdown. But moving forward on the legislation would also require support from Democrats.
Sen. Mark Kelly on government shutdown: "We should be able to wrap this up this week"
Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, said Sunday that lawmakers could resolve the shutdown stalemate and reopen the government as soon as this week, urging Republicans to come to the negotiating table on health care subsidies.
"We should be able to wrap this up this week, if they will sit down and have a negotiation with us," Kelly said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama pressed Democrats to "do the right thing" and reopen the government first.
Read more here.
Judicial branch out of money for full operations
The federal judiciary said late last week that beginning Monday, it would no longer have funding to maintain "full, paid operation" as a result of the ongoing shutdown.
Federal judges will continue to serve, but court staff will curtail their activities to perform only those that are allowed under federal law, such as those necessary to perform constitutional functions and activities "necessary for the safety of human life and protection of property, and activities otherwise authorized by federal law."
That work will be performed without pay during the shutdown, the judicial branch said, and staff that do not engage in those critical activities will be furloughed.
"Until the ongoing lapse in government funding is resolved, federal courts will maintain limited operations necessary to perform the Judiciary's constitutional functions," the judiciary said.
