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Welcome to the Eyes on Washington: Shutdown Briefing. During the federal government shutdown, we will be sharing concise, client-focused updates to help you stay informed on key developments, legislative dynamics and potential impacts to your operations and federal engagement.
Breaking News
This shutdown is now the second-longest funding lapse in U.S. history.
On October 21, U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told CNN that "there's no Plan B" for ending the government shutdown.
Status Update
Today marks Day 21 of the federal government shutdown. Negotiations on reopening the government remain stalled.
Congressional Activity
The Senate was expected to vote for the 12th time on the Republican-backed "clean CR" October 21 at 5:30 p.m. Due to the length of the shutdown, the once seven-week continuing resolution (CR) is now previous a four-week CR.
Leadership Dynamics
- Democratic Leadership: Has reached out to President Donald Trump directly for the first time since the shutdown began on October 1. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) both "urge [President Trump] to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the government shutdown."
- Republican Leadership: Continues to blame Democrats for prolonging the shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Thune indicated that he would bring up legislation (S.3012) this week that would pay "excepted" federal employees and military service members in real time as opposed to after the shutdown ends. In response to "No Kings" protests on October 18, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated that he hopes Democrats "come to their senses" after "protests and publicity stunts." He affirmed he will bring the House back into session as soon as this week if the Senate passes the "clean CR." Senate Republicans were invited to the White House on October 21 for a lunch with President Trump.
- Bipartisan Engagement: With the House out of session and the Senate convening only on a pro-forma basis, new bipartisan efforts to open the government continue to stall.
Executive Branch Developments
- Presidential Engagement: Speaker Johnson met with President Trump at the White House on October 20 to discuss the shutdown. No public statements have been made.
Key Milestones Ahead
- Late October through November: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) may begin to experience funding shortfalls. Last week, the White House added funds from other programs indicated that it will use tariff revenue to temporarily sustain the WIC program, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said there is insufficient funding to cover all November Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Administration officials are exploring ways to continue WIC and SNAP nutrition benefits, including potentially using tariff revenues.
- October 24: Federal civilian workers are projected to miss their first full paycheck.
- October 25: President Trump is expected to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Malaysia. He is expected to extend his trip to visit Japan and Korea.
- October 31: House staff and Pentagon workers are expected to miss their paychecks. Members of Congress will continue to receive pay throughout the shutdown. Pentagon workers likely will be paid again by the administration using available balances in other accounts, as they were on October 15.
- November 1: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period begins. The House-passed CR does not include an extension of ACA tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
- November 4: Off-year gubernatorial elections are held in Virginia and New Jersey.
- November 7: Non-exempt federal employees will have worked one month without pay.
Strategic Considerations for Clients
- Agency Engagement: Clients should anticipate delays in regulatory reviews, permitting and federal communications.
- Contracting and Grants: Federal contractors may experience payment disruptions and limited access to agency personnel.
- Policy Positioning: The shutdown may create new leverage points in legislative negotiations. Clients with interests in appropriations, healthcare, defense and infrastructure should monitor developments closely.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
