Congress is on the brink of a significant rise in the pain of the government shutdown, with the deadline approaching for over 40 million people to lose their SNAP benefits, military paychecks delayed, and healthcare premium hikes increasing. However, President Trump’s absence in Asia has removed the likelihood of an immediate resolution.
The potential consequences of the shutdown are becoming increasingly clear for the American public. Starting on November 1, food assistance for 40 million individuals under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be halted, which marks a critical moment in a prolonged fiscal crisis. Meanwhile, troops will also experience a delay in receiving their next paychecks, while millions of Americans face a sharp increase in healthcare premiums as they begin to shop for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans. Additionally, there is an evident risk of a systemic collapse in air travel, as understaffing has caused major delays, with the Los Angeles International Airport being one of the affected locations.
Despite the severity of the situation, there is a lack of immediate resolution as President Donald Trump remains abroad, focusing on foreign investments and peace negotiations. This has shifted the responsibility of finding a political solution to senior lawmakers and Senate leadership. The pressing question now is whether any progress can be made before Trump returns and resumes his engagement in domestic affairs.
Senators are actively exploring ways to alleviate the shutdown’s impact this week. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has indicated his intention to seek unanimous consent for a bill that would fund the SNAP program throughout the duration of the shutdown. However, this comes amid a broader challenge, as noted in a Trump administration memo from Friday, which concluded that it is no longer possible to access a contingency fund or other nutrition programs to maintain the $9 billion in monthly food benefits.
Other targeted bills, such as one by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to compensate air traffic controllers, and another from Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) to pay troops, are also under consideration for potential floor votes this week. The most promising effort, though still a long shot, is a potential compromise that would enable federal workers and active-duty military members to receive payment. However, this has yet to be realized as Democrats have rejected recent proposals from Senator Ron Johnson (Wis.) until a broader consensus is reached with Republicans.
The potential for bipartisan cooperation is still in the early stages as Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that Democrats’ demand for Trump to broker a deal is not likely to yield results. Additionally, no significant progress has been seen from Democrats who are not willing to give up their position until the Republicans negotiate a deal that extends ACA subsidies past the end of the year. This mutual stalemate has left the situation without a clear path forward, increasing pressure on both sides to find a resolution before the next round of payments are delayed.
In other developments, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is set to visit Illinois to engage with the state’s Black Caucus about redrawing the congressional map. This visit comes as Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield for the fall veto session, with redistricting potentially being added to the legislative agenda. Furthermore, Democrats are forcing votes in the Senate on three resolutions to rebuke Trump’s global tariffs and specific tariffs on Canadian and Brazilian goods. This action marks the first time the Senate will vote on the Brazil tariffs resolution, and the introduction of a war powers resolution could also block military strikes on Venezuela without Congress’s approval.
Jordain Carney, Meredith Lee Hill, Grace Yarrow, and Shia Kapos contributed to this report.