The federal government shutdown is likely to continue until at least Friday. The Senate has not passed the Republican fundraising bill, failing to do so twice within a 24-hour period. They also left Washington, D.C. after rejecting the Democratic fundraising proposal on Wednesday.
Thursday marks Yom Kipur, a Jewish holiday, so Congress won’t be meeting. The next opportunity to vote on the bill is scheduled for Friday. If it doesn’t pass by then, another vote might take place on Saturday before they take a break on Sunday and return on Monday.
This shutdown— the first in seven years— will lead to diminished access to economic reports. The U.S. Department of Labor recently disclosed its emergency response plan, revealing that the Bureau of Labor Statistics will “suspend all operations” during the shutdown.
“Economic data that will be released during the expiration will not be released,” the plan stated.
A crucial employment report was set for release on Friday, which will now be delayed.
Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission is also closed during this period, leaving consumers unable to report fraud.
The agency’s tech department noted that, “This means that we cannot answer questions about X. Consumers should not report fraud or call during this time.”
In response to the situation, President Trump indicated he might pursue cuts to the federal workforce. He shared this idea in a post, mentioning a meeting with Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Trump expressed disbelief, stating, “I can’t believe the radical left-wing Democrats have given me this unprecedented opportunity.” He seemed to view the situation as a way to expedite longstanding objectives.
He acknowledged Vought’s involvement with a project linked to the Heritage Foundation, highlighting past funding reductions in climate initiatives across various Democratic-led states.
Vice President JD Vance commented that the closure implies that “certain people will have to be fired.”
