Government shutdown continues as senators express cautious optimism about talks

Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen of New York pushed the Trump administration to tap into a contingency fund to keep food aid flowing during an interview on "The Takeout."

Gillen said her calls have "fallen on deaf ears."

"It's really unfortunate that … hunger is being used as a political weapon to try to get a certain political result or to point the fingers," she said to CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe. "That's not the way we should govern as Americans."

The Department of Agriculture has said Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will end on Saturday, arguing it doesn't have the legal authority to use a $5 billion contingency fund.

Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley said on CBS News' "The Takeout" that his constituents are "exasperated" by the nearly monthlong government shutdown.

"People are exasperated," he told CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe. "We're talking about people losing access to critical services, food assistance that they're not going to be getting, air traffic controllers having to show up without paychecks, all because politicians in Congress aren't doing their job."

"It's no wonder Congress has a 13% approval rating with the American public right now," he said.

Kiley has remained in D.C. even as the House has stayed out of session since September. House Speaker Mike Johnson argues the lower chamber has already done its job by passing a stopgap bill to reopen the government, and it's now up to the Senate to follow suit.

But Kiley said his view is that "we have a lot of other things we could be doing right now, and it probably would help to get the government back open if we actually had the House of Representatives in town."

Senators appeared cautiously optimistic about the direction of bipartisan talks, with key deadlines putting pressure on both sides to reach a resolution to reopen the government. 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, told reporters she's more optimistic. She said there's been a "significant uptick in bipartisan conversation," reiterating what Thune said earlier in the day.

Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who said he's part of the conversations, told CBS News that "we've been talking regularly throughout the shutdown," while pointing to the impact of rising health insurance premiums.

"So obviously now people are starting to see the impact of these increases now that prices are coming out," Peters said.

And Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said that while a "refusal to meet and have a real conversation" had been holding lawmakers back, now "we're having those conversations." 

"What I do not know is if President Trump has blessed my Republican counterparts having any of these conversations," she said. "And I'm sorry, I'm a new senator, and I've been trained, that at this point, it's interesting what my Republican colleagues have to offer, but it's not final until they go check with their big boss."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune angrily objected to a request from Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico to pass by unanimous consent his measure to fund SNAP benefits and the Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC. Any one senator can object to a unanimous consent request.

"Let me just point out, if I might, that we are 29 days into a Democrat shutdown," Thune said in some of his most heated remarks to date, noting that Democrats have voted against a measure to reopen the government 13 times. 

"We have tried to do that 13 times, and you voted no 13 times!" Thune shouted, pointing across the chamber at Lujan. "This isn't a political game. These are real people's lives that we are talking about. And you all have just figured out, 29 days in, oh, that there might be some consequences?"

The majority leader said the administration has "done their best" to make sure that some programs remain funded, "but at some point the government runs out of money."

"Thirteen times, people over here voted to fund SNAP. Thirteen times they voted to fund WIC," Thune said of Republicans. 

Thune said Democrats are "making plans to keep the shutdown going."

"This bill is a cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown for the long term," Thune said. 

The majority leader asked that the request be modified to pass the House-approved funding measure by unanimous consent. Lujan objected. 

Asked at a news conference whether bipartisan shutdown talks have "ticked up," as Thune indicated earlier, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said "there are occasional talks between Democrats and Republicans on this issue, but our Republican colleagues don't seem to be offering anything different than what their leadership has had so far."

"We hope that will change," Schumer said. 

House employees were notified on Wednesday that their monthly paychecks, originally scheduled to be deposited on Oct. 31, will be delayed until Congress passes new funding.

In a memo obtained by CBS News, House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor said the payroll office "has no authority to pay salaries" during the lapse in appropriations. Health and retirement benefits will continue without interruption.

The memo noted that "[a]ny missed monthly regular payroll disbursement will be processed and disbursed as soon as possible after enactment of appropriations legislation."

"I regret any inconvenience these changes in your pay may cause you," Szpindor wrote.

House employees also received a form letter that they can share with creditors "to confirm the current status of the employee during the lapse in appropriations." 

A group of Senate Democrats held a news conference at the Capitol alongside influencers and doctors Wednesday to highlight health care issues, which the party has put front and center amid the shutdown. 

The influencers and physicians warned about the consequences of what happens when people lose access to healthcare. One of the speakers, Dr. Anita Patel, said when health care costs become too high for families, things like "like-saving epipens do not get refilled, a child sinus infection turns into meningitis and a ruptured [appendix] leads to septic shock from delayed care in medicine."

"I have seen firsthand what happens when children lose access to health care," said Patel, a pediatrician. "I have intubated teenagers in diabetic comas because they had to ration their insulin that their families could not afford. I have battled uncontrolled seizures in the ICU, which can cause permanent brain damage, because parents had to choose between their child's seizure medications and paying their rent."

Senate Democrats have been pushing for an extension of health insurance tax credits in exchange for their support to reopen the government. But Republican leaders have maintained that they will not negotiate on the issue until Democrats allow them to reopen the government. The issue has come to a head in recent days, with open enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act beginning on Nov. 1. Though the tax credits are set to sunset at the end of the year, increased premiums are expected to appear during the open enrollment period. 

Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said "there are painful days ahead for Americans who are already enduring the leadership of this administration."

"This is an American problem of the Republicans' making and we're demanding that they do something about the pain and the hurt that American families are experiencing and the fear as they look at their health care costs," Booker said. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Republicans "would rather shut down the government than have to address this health care crisis and try to make health care more affordable for Americans."
"Democrats are showing up, and we are here to fight for the American people who just want access to get the care they need," Warren said. 

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters that he is "hoping that next week, we get the government back open then sit down and resolve our differences on health care."

Graham asked whether behind-the-scenes talks between senators were making progress on ending the shutdown.

"I think it is coming to a close," he said. "Just talk to my Democratic colleagues. I think they understand that … it's not working for them."

Graham said he sensed that "all the bad things that are going to happen over the weekend" would prompt movement in the Senate.

"You got probably military pay, SNAP benefits," he said. "A lot of things happen bad this weekend. I'm hoping next week, hopefully after the election, that we can get the government back open, talking about our differences on health care. I just can't stress enough. Now is a very dangerous time in the world. Now is not the time to shut the government down."

GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina pushed back on the suggestion that the shutdown is winding down, saying he sees no evidence that talks among senators have progressed to formal negotiations.

"There's a lot of discussion going on now, but … normally, when you're about to achieve a breakthrough, you're going to have more formal negotiations, probably with three to five members on either side, and then it grows from there. I don't see any evidence of that now," Tillis said.

He noted that he has voted with Democrats to fund the government in the past, and said "those of us who have walked the plank many times to keep the government open feel like the Democrats have made a mistake by shutting down the government."

"And I'm still encouraging my colleagues, my retiring colleagues, my colleagues that are not up until 2030 — come in, the water's fine. Voting to fund the government is not nearly as politically devastating as it seems to be. I'm living proof of it," the North Carolina Republican said. "Fund the government at levels they agreed to before, and then have the credibility to say we're going to go to the table and we're going to fix the Obamacare subsidies."

He added: "I just don't think we're going to get there until we come out of the irrational position and a shutdown that was caused by the Democrats."

Thune told reporters at the Capitol that talks among members aimed at ending the shutdown have "ticked up significantly," saying he's hopeful it's a "precursor of things to come."

The South Dakota Republican said there's a "higher level of conversation" taking place at the member level. He said Democratic leadership "is out of the equation," without "room to maneuver."

"But there are a lot of rank-and-file members that continue, I think, to want to pursue solutions and to be able to address the issues they care about, including health care, which … we're willing to do, but it obviously is contingent upon them opening up the government," Thune said.

He said there "is a possibility" that enough moderate Democrats could support ending the shutdown: "Let's just hope that the conversations continue."

Thune said he's hopeful that something "very soon will be fruitful" in the conversations, as Republicans look to win support from five more Democrats on a GOP-led measure to reopen the government. But the majority leader said the plan is still to break for the weekend after voting on the measure on Thursday, unless "something starts to gel."

House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked at his daily press conference at the Capitol about the possibility of needing to pass a new continuing resolution, given that the Nov. 21 deadline in the current House-passed version is fast approaching. 

"Wouldn't that be a futile exercise, when we have a CR that's been sitting over there since Sept. 19?" the speaker said. "If I brought the House back and we passed another CR it would meet the exact same fate from Chuck Schumer. He would mock it, they would spike it and they would try to blame it on us."

He said that Democrats are "eating up the clock" by continuing to block the continuing resolution. He repeated the GOP argument that Democratic leaders are being influenced by the emergence of Zohran Mamdani, the party's nominee for mayor of New York City in next week's election.

"I think Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are irredeemable at this point. I don't think they'll be able to tell Mamdani in New York and his disciples that they voted to open the government. I've given up on the leadership. We're trying to appeal to a handful of moderates or centrists who care more about the American people and will put the people's interest over their own and do the right thing in the Senate," Johnson said.

He added: "There's no point in me sitting down with Chuck Schumer. He's painted himself into a corner. I get all that. Mamdani looks like he's going to win and become the mayor of New York City, and Hakeem Jeffries came out and endorsed him. That's all you need to know. Hakeem Jeffries is terrified that Mamdani, one of his disciples, is going to challenge him in his own seat in the election next fall."

Johnson said that "it doesn't matter" what the House passes as long as Senate Democrats refuse to vote to reopen the government. 

"We have to get a handful of moderates over there who care about America to do the right thing. We need at least seven Democrats, it takes 60 votes in the Senate to pass it," he said. "This is not the Republicans. This fault is squarely on the shoulders of the Democrats, and they are the ones causing you the pain, and don't ever let them forget it."

The Congressional Budget Office sent an economic analysis to House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington assessing the impact of the ongoing government shutdown under three possible end dates: four, six, or eight weeks. The office found that the shutdown is delaying tens of billions of dollars in federal spending and temporarily slowing growth.

According to CBO, real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 will be 1 to 2 percentage points lower than it otherwise would be, depending on how long the shutdown lasts. Most of that loss would be reversed once funding resumes, but between $7 billion and $14 billion in output would not be recovered.

CBO estimates federal outlays will be $33 billion lower if the shutdown ends this week, $54 billion lower if it lasts six weeks and $74 billion lower if it extends through late November. That is mostly attributed to delayed pay for roughly 650,000 furloughed federal employees, paused contracts and a potential lapse in SNAP benefits after Oct. 31.

The agency said the economy should bounce back early next year as back pay and delayed spending are released, but warned that a portion of the lost output, primarily hours not worked during the lapse, will not be made up.

The Senate convened at 10 a.m. There are currently no plans to vote on the House-passed measure to fund the government, after the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed for a 13th time on Tuesday.

The Senate is not currently scheduled to vote on the House-passed measure to reopen the government today. 

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with a procedural vote on a measure to rollback a Biden administration rule on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, along with a vote on a judicial confirmation, according to Majority Whip John Barrasso's office.

At 2:15 p.m., the Senate will vote on reversing a rule on the barred owl management strategy in Western states.

The notice advised that "further roll call votes are expected during Wednesday's session of the Senate."

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CBS News on Tuesday that the Trump administration doesn't have the legal authority to keep food assistance flowing during the government shutdown, as the federal program that helps more than 40 million Americans pay for groceries is set to halt payments on Saturday.

Rollins pushed back on calls to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, funded by tapping a $5 billion contingency fund, arguing the administration doesn't have the legal authority to use that money. She also noted that it would cost about $9.2 billion to fully fund SNAP next month.

"We're trying to follow the law here," she told CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe on "The Takeout." "We've used Band-Aid and duct tape all along this whole last month. And, and as we've said, it's not going to be there on November 1st."

Pressed on why the administration hasn't sought money from other sources, given that it has kept paying members of the military and FBI personnel, Rollins noted that the money for military pay is partially coming from a private donor.

The administration's position has drawn stiff pushback from Democrats, who have urged the Department of Agriculture to draw down its emergency contingency funding.

Rollins responded by pressing Democrats to vote to reopen the government.

"I find it extremely rich that people would say that President Trump or our administration is playing politics with people's hunger," Rollins said.

World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit organization founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, is feeding furloughed federal workers in Washington, D.C., during the shutdown, with hot lunch until the stalemate ends. On Wednesday, they will open a second distribution at Navy Memorial Plaza, in addition to the Washington Canal Park location. Both will operate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune poured cold water on the effort to up individual bills to pay certain groups of federal workers or fund programs like SNAP during the shutdown on Tuesday, as Democrats announced they would introduce legislation to fund the food aid program.

"This piecemeal approach, where you do one-off here, one-off there to make it seem more politically palatable to somebody or less painful, that's just the wrong way to do this," Thune said, urging that the simple way to resolve the issue is to approve the House-passed measure to fund the government until Nov. 21. 

Moments later, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Senate Democrats would introduce a bill to fund SNAP, after the Department of Agriculture said federal food aid will not go out on Nov. 1. He also said the bill would ensure funding for the Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC. 

The New York Democrat said the measure will get "broad, if not universal support" among Democrats. But whether it would come up for a vote or earn support from Republicans remained unclear.

The developments on narrower bills to pay workers or fund programs come as the Republican effort to advance a House-passed measure to reopen the government has fallen short of the 60 votes needed 13 times. Despite their effort to gain new support from Democrats, the bill has picked up no new support since before the shutdown began.