Pressure Mounts on Congress to Strike Shutdown Deal

Congress is facing mounting pressure to end the shutdown on multiple fronts. 

The nation’s largest federal employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), is calling on Democrats to back a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government.

And funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will run out on November 1, leaving some 40 million people without access to food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a memo that its contingency fund cannot be used to pay for the SNAP program, a reversal from an earlier position. 

Still, the chances of a quick deal remain elusive. President Trump is wrapping up a trip to Asia, while House Speaker Mike Johnson has still not called the House back into session. 

With that said, focus returns to the Senate. 

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) noted that the AFGE statement would have a “lot of impact” and Democrats would need to discuss it in the days ahead. Senator Durbin also noted that the SNAP funding is another major concern. 

Meanwhile some Republicans are lining up behind a key Democratic demand to ending the shutdown: extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. 

“I’m in the camp of that we can’t just allow the premium support to expire,” said Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). “If we do, without doing something else about it, it’s going to double the cost of premiums in my state.”

Senator Hawley is also considering seeking unanimous consent for a bill that would fund SNAP through the duration of the shutdown.

And Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he may seek unanimous consent on a bill to pay air traffic controllers while Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) may push legislation to ensure military members get paid. 

Pay Legislation Updates

On the topic of pay, last week the Senate failed to advance legislation that would immediately pay federal workers who are deemed “essential” and are still working during the shutdown. 

However, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) is now offering a bill that would pay all federal workers, both essential and furloughed, during the shutdown. 

Senator Johnson told The Hill that he believes Senate GOP leadership supports his offer, but he says the proposal will be discussed in more detail at the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon Tuesday.