A vital meals help program will soon halt for millions of Americans in want and air visitors controllers will miss a paycheck this week as the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week — with all eyes on congressional lawmakers to see if the added stress will likely be sufficient to push them to strike a deal.
The Division of Agriculture posted a discover on its web site that Supplemental Diet Help Program advantages is not going to be issued on Nov. 1 amid the continuing authorities shutdown, saying “Backside line, the nicely has run dry.”
SNAP, also known as “meals stamps,” serves roughly 42 million low-income People.
SNAP has historically been fully federally funded, however is run by states. Which means the shutdown’s impression on SNAP and when advantages will begin to dry up will fluctuate by state.
Over the weekend, the Trump administration mentioned it gained’t be giving a lifeline to SNAP funding, and blamed the Democrats for the continuing shutdown.
Signal for SNAP advantages is seen on a grocery retailer frozen meals aisle door in Queens, NY.
Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Common Pictures Group through Getty Pictures
The Trump administration’s place that it can’t prolong SNAP advantages through the shutdown is a reversal from the USDA’s said shutdown contingency plan from late September, which mentioned that “Congressional intent is clear that SNAP’s operations ought to proceed because the program has been supplied with multi-year contingency funds that can be utilized for State Administrative Bills to make sure that the State may proceed operations throughout a Federal Authorities shutdown.”
However in a brand new memo issued late final week and obtained by ABC Information, USDA mentioned contingency funds are “solely obtainable” when SNAP funds have been authorised by Congress.
Earlier within the shutdown, the Trump administration redirected others funds to pay service members — even because it says it will probably’t do the identical with SNAP funding.
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson speaks concerning the authorities shutdown, now on Day 27, throughout a press convention on the Capitol in Washington, October 27, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Pictures
On Monday, Home Speaker Mike Johnson argued the contingency funds for SNAP are “not legally obtainable proper now” to cowl the advantages and pleaded with Democrats to assist the clear persevering with decision to reopen the federal government.
“The reason being as a result of it is a finite supply of funds. It was appropriated by Congress, and in the event that they switch funds from these different sources, it pulls it away instantly from faculty meals… So … it is a commerce off,” he mentioned. “There must be a pre-existing appropriation for the contingency fund for use.”
Airline vacationers are feeling results of the shutdown as nicely.
Over the weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration was pressured to gradual air visitors round Chicago, Dallas, Southern California, Newark and different cities due to staffing points. Some air visitors controllers known as out as many are pressured to work with out pay through the shutdown.
Air visitors controllers will miss their first paycheck on Tuesday.
A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol constructing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. September 19, 2025.
Kent Nishimura/Reuters
One other vital deadline approaches round well being care premiums. Democrats are persevering with their struggle over well being care subsidies because the Nov. 1 open enrollment date approaches.
Because the shutdown continues to impression People and key deadlines loom, all eyes are on Capitol Hill the place lawmakers are nonetheless in a stalemate.
On Monday, Johnson slammed Democrats and mentioned the administration has labored “creatively” to restrict the “ache on the People.”
“We want 5 extra Democrats within the Senate to do the suitable factor — get up and say, ‘I’ll say no to the Marxist far-left stress, and I’ll do what’s proper by the individuals of 42 million People on this nation who depend upon this important diet help. Or am I going to starve my constituents? Or am I going to appease the Marxist?’” Johnson mentioned.
It would not seem President Donald Trump will likely be negotiating with Democrats both.
ABC Information “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday if Trump ought to meet with Democrats once more. Bessent appeared to rebuff the concept of him doing that.
“Nicely, what good does it do, Martha? They dug in. The American individuals are hostage to Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries’ ballot numbers as a result of what’s modified between now and the final time there was a clear, persevering with decision is Chuck Schumer has tanked within the polls. They each of the 2 guys from Brooklyn, like I name them, are nervous about being primaried from the left,” Bessent mentioned.
In the meantime, the president of the nation’s largest union representing federal staff is asking on lawmakers to go a short-term spending invoice to finish the shutdown.
“It is time to go a clear persevering with decision and finish this shutdown right this moment. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put each single federal employee again on the job with full again pay — right this moment,” American Federation of Authorities Staff Nationwide President Everett Kelley mentioned in a press release.
The AFGE represents greater than 800,000 federal and D.C. authorities staff.
“It is time for our leaders to start out specializing in the right way to clear up issues for the American individuals, quite than on who’s going to get the blame for a shutdown that People dislike,” she added.
