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Federal Update: Government Shutdown Drags On
The federal government shutdown has reached day 20 with no end in sight.
As of Oct. 20, the federal government has been shut down for 20 days, making it the third-longest funding lapse in modern U.S. history. Only the shutdowns of 1995 and 2018-2019 have lasted longer.
The Senate failed for the 10th time to reach agreement and pass a spending bill with the 60 votes needed to move forward. Lawmakers were sent home over the weekend and are expected to return the week of Oct. 20. The House has been out of session since Sept. 19 and likely will not reconvene until the shutdown ends.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he will push for floor action on a bill that would pay federal employees and members of the military who are currently working without pay. However, it remains unclear whether the bill would have enough support to pass.
Where matters stand
Here’s where the situation currently stands nearly three weeks into the shutdown.
- The Trump administration has announced plans for more than 10,000 federal worker layoffs, known as reductions in force (RIFs), as the shutdown enters its third week. More than 4,100 workers have already received notice across a range of federal agencies. On Oct. 15, however, a federal judge in San Francisco temporarily halted the layoffs. The administration plans to appeal the ruling.
- The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families has directed counties to stop approving new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications after the U.S. Department of Agriculture informed states that funds will not be available to pay SNAP benefits in November unless Congress passes a spending bill by the end of October.
- Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said operations have remained stable, even during the busy Minnesota Educator Academy (MEA) school break, despite Transportation Security Administration employees working without pay.
- The League is aware of several federal formula-based grant programs that have experienced reduced funding and numerous delays in discretionary grant authorizations. League staff members are communicating with the Minnesota congressional delegation and our federal partners to assess the impact.
Cities directly affected by the federal government shutdown are encouraged to contact Daniel Lightfoot, League senior intergovernmental relations representative, at [email protected].
The League continues to closely monitor the shutdown’s impacts and share updates through the Cities Bulletin e-newsletter and the Federal Actions Impacting Cities FAQ webpage.