Government Shutdown Begins as Funding Bill Fails
The federal government officially shut down at 12:01 AM Wednesday after Congress could not pass the Stop Gap Funding Bill before the deadline on October 1. This closure is causing significant disruption to Farlow and various services across the agency.
The Personnel Management Bureau announced the shutdown after midnight, indicating that non-essential operations would pause while essential functions would continue. In many instances, employees will work without pay until Congress intervenes. According to OPM’s shutdown guidance, furloughed staff will receive backpay after the shutdown ends, but excluded employees will see delays in their salaries until funding is restored.
House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer released a statement early Wednesday, stating, “After months of making life more difficult and expensive, Donald Trump and Republicans are shutting down the federal government because they didn’t want to protect American healthcare.”
In response, the White House criticized Democrats for running a “government shutdown clock” and accused them of obstructing short-term extensions.
The agency has rolled out a contingency plan that outlines which programs will be suspended and which will continue operating under legal exceptions. As it stands, the status in Washington, DC, indicates that the situation will vary depending on the agency involved.
Lawmakers missed the deadline as the Senate failed to pass the House’s stop-gap funding proposal, which required 60 votes but received only 55-45. Democratic alternatives also fell short of the 60-vote threshold earlier in September, leaving no funding vehicles in place.
The central issue revolves around a short-term bill aimed at expanding Affordable Care Act Premium Subsidies, which are set to expire after 2025. Democratic leaders have stated they won’t support continuing resolutions that don’t secure these subsidies, while Republicans argue that Democrats are leveraging the shutdown for political gain.
