The federal government is poised for a partial government shutdown starting Wednesday as President Donald Trump and congressional GOP leaders refuse Democratic demands to negotiate an extension of expiring health insurance subsidies.
Congressional leaders and President Donald Trump will meet on Monday afternoon. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that the meeting was scheduled at his request. "It's a good first step," Schumer said.
But whether there is a shutdown is “totally up to the Democrats," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Meet the Press.
"The ball is in their court. There is a bill sitting at the desk in the Senate right now, we could pick it up today and pass it, that has been passed by the House that will be signed into law by the president to keep the government open"
A GOP-backed stopgap spending bill failed in the Senate just ahead of last week’s recess for Rosh Hashanah, and the House won’t be in session this week after GOP leaders cancelled votes on Monday and Tuesday.
The Senate, which returns to action on Monday, theoretically could reconsider the GOP continuing resolution, but there has been no sign of compromise on either side.
Democrats also are angry that the White House has moved to cancel funding appropriated by Congress.
"This is a lawless president. He's been illegally withholding funds," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said on CNN's' State of the Union.
"He promised on day one he was going to bring down prices. They have gone up. What we're saying is that we should turn off this ticking time bomb which Republicans left in place that's going to create a huge spike in health care premiums for about 20 million Americans."
The White House, meanwhile, has been threatening to implement mass layoffs at USDA and other departments and agencies if Democrats don’t agree to support the continuing resolution needed to fund the government after fiscal 2025 ends Tuesday.
A memo from the Office of Management and Budget to department leaders told them to consider reductions in force for “programs, projects, or activities” that don’t have other sources of funding from laws other than annual appropriations bills and aren’t “consistent with the president’s priorities.”
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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday that details of how the department would handle a shutdown were still being worked out, but she said “the incredible and important programs, especially that help our farmers ... shouldn't be affected by the shutdown.”
The top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Angie Craig, D-Minn., denounced the White House’s threat to use the shutdown to conduct mass layoffs.
“The Trump administration has already taken an axe to 15 percent of USDA’s workforce this year due to the administration's shortsighted, ill-informed actions,” she said, referring to the early retirements carried out earlier this year.
“To now threaten additional mass firings – in the middle of an economic crisis in farm country – is malicious and cruel and would only further the pain in farm country. I’ve had enough with how much this administration says it loves farmers. And enough of my Republican colleagues who continue to do whatever this administration wants – no matter the cost to rural communities and the ag economy.”
Traditionally during government shutdowns, many federal employees are furloughed, and they get backpay when agencies reopen. Some employees, including meat inspectors, are exempt from furloughs.
Exempt jobs involve “the safety of human life, the protection of property, or performing certain other types of work as USDA’s legal counsel determines,” according to the furlough plans currently on USDA’s web site. Agency furlough plans have not been updated since the Biden administration.
Here is a list of agriculture or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere (all times EDT):
Monday, Sept. 29
CropLife America annual meeting through Wednesday, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
World Dairy Expo through Friday, Madison, Wisconsin.
Renewable Fuels Association annual meeting through Wednesday, Omaha, Nebraska.
12 p.m. – The Budget Lab event on the upcoming Supreme Court case and the future of Trump’s tariffs.
3 p.m. – USDA listening session on rural and federal veterinary workforces.
4 p.m. – USDA releases Crop Progress report.
Tuesday, Sept. 30
3 p.m. – USDA listening session on rural and federal veterinary workforces.
Wednesday, Oct. 1
8:30 a.m. – Virginia Tech Global Agricultural Productivity Report Launch, Chicago.
10 a.m. – The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy webinar on why processing and production methods matter.
Thursday, Oct. 2
8:30 a.m. – USDA releases Weekly Export Sales report.
Noon – Heritage Foundation forum previewing the Supreme Court’s 2025-26 term.
Friday, Oct. 3
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