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Tag: Government Shutdown

  • Fact-checking Democratic ACA subsidies talking points

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    The government shutdown failed to resolve differences between Republicans and Democrats over policies related to Obamacare’s affordability.

    Republicans refused to go along with Democrats’ proposal to extend expiring COVID-19-era subsidies for people who buy their insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The Senate voted Nov. 10 to fund the government through January without voting on the subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate would vote later this year on extending them. 

    Most people who use Affordable Care Act marketplaces obtain subsidies. 

    In 2021, then-President Joe Biden signed legislation that made the subsidies more generous. The legislation reduced the maximum amount purchasers would have to pay for coverage and enabled households with incomes higher than 400% of the federal poverty level to receive subsidies. Previously, the subsidies were capped at 400% of the poverty limit for a household, which in 2024 was $60,240 for a one-person household. 

    Congress renewed these enhanced subsidies in 2022 through the end of 2025.

    The subsidies proved popular; the number of people receiving them increased from about 11 million to more than 24 million people, the vast majority of whom receive an enhanced premium tax credit.

    If enhanced tax credits expire, many enrollees will continue to qualify for smaller tax credits, while others will lose eligibility altogether.

    President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully pledged to repeal and replace Obamacare, said he wants to give people money to buy their own health insurance, without providing details. 

    Democrats will likely campaign on Obamacare costs through the midterms, particularly if Republicans vote against extending the subsidies in the coming weeks. We fact-checked some recent Democratic talking points. 

    “The five states that are most impacted by a failure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits are West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi and Tennessee.”  — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., at a Nov. 10 press conference

    This is accurate, according to one analysis of premium payment increases for consumers choosing plans in the same tier, without the enhanced subsidies. Jeffries was citing the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund.

    “Most impacted” can mean many things, not just premium spike size. Florida has 4.7 million people enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans in 2025, more than any other state. About 97% of enrollees receive a discount that makes their plans cheaper.

    One analysis puts Texas ahead of Florida for the overall number of people who will not enroll in ACA plans in 2026 if the subsidies expire. Texas has a larger state population.

    “Forty-five percent of the people, of the Americans, who are going to lose health care or be at risk of losing health care if they don’t on the other side of the aisle extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, 45% of them are registered Republicans.” — Jeffries at a Nov. 10 press conference

    Jeffries’ statistic for Republican voters affected by the ACA subsidies comes from a May poll by KFF, a leading health policy think tank.

    The poll found Republicans make up 45% of adults who purchase their own health insurance, most of whom do so through the ACA marketplaces. That included 31% who defined themselves as MAGA Republicans and 14% called themselves non-MAGA Republicans. (The survey defined MAGA Republicans as Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who support Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.) About 35% enrolled through the marketplace were Democrats and 20% were independents.

    The rates were lower for Medicaid enrollees, KFF found: 27% self-identified as MAGA or non-MAGA Republicans.

    Jeffries predicted that this group is at risk of losing health care entirely, but we don’t yet know exactly how many would drop their insurance because of rising costs.

    The Congressional Budget Office expects 2 million more people would be uninsured in 2026, increasing to 3.8 million in 2034 and 2025. More people are likely to drop ACA coverage but not become uninsured, for example changing to a job that offers health insurance.

    “If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no. That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.” — Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., Nov. 9 X post

    This is largely accurate.

    Torres told us he was referring to a Sept. 30 analysis by KFF that found that the expiration of the credits “is estimated to more than double what subsidized enrollees currently pay annually for premiums — a 114% increase from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026.” About 24 million people are on the marketplace, and most receive subsidies.

    Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., went further Nov. 9 when he said ending the subsidies “raises health care premiums for over 20 million Americans by doubling, and in some cases tripling and quadrupling” the cost. 

    Many low-income people would see their out-of-pocket premiums increase from zero to hundreds of dollars, said Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy.

    “It would cost $38 billion to extend ACA credits next year and prevent millions of people from losing their healthcare. Reminder: Trump sent $40 billion to Argentina for no reason.” — Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Nov. 7 on Bluesky 

    Lofgren’s statement about the cost of ACA enhanced subsidies is in the ballpark, but she exaggerated what the federal government sent to Argentina.

    Extending the enhanced subsidies would cost about $350 billion over a decade including about $38 billion next year, the center-right American Action Forum found.

    Other estimates are lower or higher. Levitt told us the net effect on the federal budget in 2027, which is a more complete year, is $31.9 billion.

    Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said factoring in direct costs, interest payments and spending in other programs averages around $48.8 billion more each year. 

    Regarding Argentina, Lofgren was referring to the Trump administration’s announcement in October that it agreed to a $20 billion currency swap and facilitated $20 billion in private financing. 

    The funds to support Argentina couldn’t be shifted to health care credits. The U.S. Treasury dedicates a pool of funds  for onetime U.S. intervention in foreign exchange markets.

    Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson contributed to this article.

    RELATED: Government shutdown fact-checks about SNAP, WIC, Obamacare and immigration

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  • US airlines’ daily cancellations exceed 2,700 as shutdown impact extends

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    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights on Sunday as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic across the nation would “slow to a trickle” if the federal government shutdown lingered into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season.

    The slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports began to cause more widespread disruptions in its third day. The FAA last week ordered flight cuts at the nation’s busiest airports as some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have stopped showing up for work.

    In addition, nearly 10,000 flight delays were reported on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Friday, and more than 1,500 on Saturday.

    The FAA reductions started Friday at 4% and were set to increase to 10% by Nov. 14. They are in effect from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and will impact all commercial airlines.

    Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta stood to have the most cancellations Sunday, followed by Chicago O’Hare International, where wintry weather threatened. In Georgia, weather could also be a factor, with the National Weather Service office in Atlanta warning of widespread freezing conditions through Tuesday.

    Traveler Kyra March finally arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson on Sunday after a series of postponements the day before.

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    “I was coming from Tampa and that flight got delayed, delayed, delayed. Then it was canceled and then rebooked. And so I had to stay at a hotel and then came back this morning,” she said.

    The FAA said staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardia Airport in New York were leading to average departure delays of about 75 minutes.

    Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan was mostly empty Sunday morning, with minimal wait times at security checkpoints as delays and cancellations filled the departures and arrivals boards.

    Earlier Sunday, Duffy warned that U.S. air traffic could decline significantly if the shutdown persisted. He said additional flight cuts — perhaps up to 20% — might be needed, particularly if controllers receive no pay for a second straight pay period.

    “More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheck,” Duffy told “Fox News Sunday.”

    And he prepared Americans for what they could face during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

    “As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy said.

    With “very few” controllers working, “you’ll have a few flights taking off and landing” and thousands of cancellations, he said.

    “You’re going to have massive disruption. I think a lot of angry Americans. I think we have to be honest about where this is going. It doesn’t get better,” Duffy said. “It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”

    The government has been short of air traffic controllers for years, and multiple presidential administrations have tried to convince retirement-age controllers to remain on the job. Duffy said the shutdown has exacerbated the problem, leading some air traffic controllers to speed up their retirements.

    “Up to 15 or 20 a day are retiring,” Duffy said on CNN.

    Duffy said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth texted him with an offer to lend military air traffic controllers, but it’s unclear whether the staff is certified to work on civilian systems.

    Duffy denied Democratic charges that the flight cancellations are a political tactic, saying they were necessary due to increasing near-misses from an overtaxed system.

    “I needed to take action to keep people safe,” Duffy said. “I’m doing what I can in a mess that Democrats have put in my lap.”

    Airlines for America, a trade group representing U.S. carriers, said air traffic control staffing-related delays exceeded 3,000 hours on Saturday, the highest of the shutdown, and that staffing problems contributed to 71% of delay time.

    From Oct. 1 to Nov. 7, controller shortages have disrupted more than 4 million passengers on U.S. carriers, according to Airlines for America.

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  • Is the Government Shutdown Ending? Live Updates

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    On Sunday night, the Senate successfully passed a test vote 60-40, clearing the way for a vote to pass a compromise bill which would fund the government at its current levels through January 1. Eight members of the Senate’s Democratic caucus voted with Republicans, including the three senators who negotiated the compromise: New Hampshire’s Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen and Maine’s Angus King. Senators Tim Kaine, John Fetterman, Dick Durbin, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Jacky Rosen were the other Democrats who voted with the GOP. Here’s what Democrats did and didn’t get as part of the compromise, per NBC News:

    The agreement contains a “minibus” — three full-year appropriations bills that will fund certain departments like the Agriculture Department through the end of the fiscal year next fall — and a continuing resolution to fund the rest of the government at existing spending levels through Jan. 30. It would also fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, once known as food stamps, through next September, a major flashpoint in the shutdown. The sources said the deal also reverses Trump’s attempted layoffs of federal workers during the shutdown through RIFs, or “reduction in force” notifications.

    But in a major concession from Democrats, it does not include an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. Allowing the funds to lapse would raise insurance premiums for millions of Americans unless they are extended. Instead, the Democrats settled for a promise that the Senate will vote on a bill to extend the subsidies by the end of the second week of December, with the outcome uncertain, two of the sources said. Even then, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he won’t promise that the House will vote on extending the subsidies.

    It might take several days for Congress to reopen the government, but the end appears to be in sight.

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  • Flight cancellations continue to pile up under FAA order in government shutdown — live updates

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    Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, ranking member of the Senate’s Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, on Monday criticized President Trump after he threatened to dock the pay of air traffic controllers who took off work amid staffing shortages and the government shutdown.

    “It’s disgraceful and dangerous to threaten to punish controllers who put the safety of pilots and passengers first by refusing to direct air traffic when their performance would’ve been degraded by a diagnosed illness,” Duckworth said in a statement.

    Earlier Monday, Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social that “[a]ll Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’” The president said he would recommend a $10,000 bonus, per person, for those who didn’t take “ANY TIME OFF” during the shutdown. 

    “For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” Mr. Trump wrote.

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later said he agrees with the president.

    “Air traffic controllers NEED to show up for work! To those who have worked throughout the shutdown — thank you for your patriotism and commitment to keeping our skies safe. I will work with Congress to reward your commitment,” Duffy said.

    Duckworth voted no on the latest measure to end the government shutdown, splitting with eight moderate Senate Democrats who voted in favor of a bill that would extend government funding through January 2026. The agreement with Republicans would also ensure federal workers, including air traffic controllers, receive back pay since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. 

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  • Orlando Rep. Maxwell Frost slams Senate funding deal offering ‘empty promises’

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    U.S. House Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) advocates for the extension of subsidies to make healthcare more affordable. (Nov. 3, 2025) Credit: McKenna Schueler

    After seven weeks of a federal government shutdown that has led to flight cancellations and delays in food assistance to families, the U.S. Senate approved a funding agreement Monday that could reopen the government if approved by the House and signed into law by President Trump. 

    Democratic U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost of Orlando, however, sharply rebuked the controversial deal for offering “empty promises.”

    “This funding fight was supposed to be about addressing the urgency of rising health care costs for 20 million Americans brought on by this administration’s failed policies and Republican inaction. Instead, the Senate gave up in exchange for an empty promise for a vote on extending current health care subsidies, ” Frost said in a statement, echoing the concerns of other Democrats who have described the deal as “lousy” and “complete BS.”

    “Americans don’t need empty promises,” Frost added. “They need to be able to afford their health care premiums.”

    Seven Democrats and one independent U.S. Senator joined Republicans (including Florida’s two U.S. Senators) in voting 60-40 to approve the funding agreement Monday, which would effectively reopen the federal government. Just one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against the deal, according to the Washington Post. It’s expected to head to the U.S House for a vote later this week.

    Rep. Frost, a progressive Democrat from Orlando, says he’s a firm “no” on the deal, noting it fails to directly address the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits at the end of the year. The expiration of the COVID-era tax credits could cause the monthly healthcare premiums of roughly 22 million Americans, including nearly 200,000 people in Frost’s district, to more than double. Locals who rely on their health insurance for life-saving medication are already sounding the alarm.

    “This deal fails our communities who elected us to stand up for them, but the fight isn’t over,” Frost shared Monday. “I believe that in the richest country on the face of the Earth, families deserve to get the care they need when they need it — and I will fight like hell to make that a reality,” he said.

    The sort-of bipartisan deal reached between U.S. senators over the weekend offers no guaranteed extension of the enhanced ACA tax subsidies, which have helped make healthcare more affordable for millions of low- and middle-income Americans who don’t receive health insurance through an employer, including small business owners and the self-employed.

    The deal approved Monday would reverse the layoffs of thousands of federal workers during the early days of the shutdown, fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September, and offer stopgap funding for most of the federal government’s operations through Jan. 30, according to the Post. 

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has also reportedly promised a vote by mid-December on whether to extend the ACA tax subsidies. But that promise falls short of the guaranteed extension that Democrats have been holding the line for over the last 42 days.

    “People need healthcare, damn it,” U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) told Axios. “Not some lame promise about a mythical future vote.”

    The shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history. It’s left hundreds of thousands of federal employees either furloughed or working without pay, including TSA officers and air traffic controllers who are considered essential to government operations. 

    The air traffic control system already faced a staffing shortage of roughly 3,000 controllers prior to the government shutdown. Now, the lack of pay afforded to controllers working 10-hour shifts during the shutdown has caused even greater staffing shortages, leading to flight delays and cancellations at airports across the U.S., including Orlando International Airport.

    “For decades, air traffic controllers have held the line through staffing shortages, outdated equipment, hiring freezes, terrorist attacks on September 11th, pandemics and every crisis that this country has lived through,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a union that represents nearly 20,000 aviation safety professionals. 

    “They have kept their focus, their composure and their commitment to safety, but now they must focus on childcare instead of traffic flows, food for their families instead of runway separation,” Daniels noted during a press conference Monday. “This is not politics,” he added. “This is not ideology. This is the erosion of the safety margin the flying public never sees, but [that] America relies on every single day.”

    This strain of the government shutdown on air travel, as Thanksgiving and the winter holidays approach, has added significant pressure to Congress to reach a deal to reopen the government. So has the unprecedented delay of SNAP benefits that help 42 million Americans, including nearly three million Floridians, buy groceries for themselves and their families. 

    Although the Trump administration has said they have the money to fund SNAP for November, the administration has appealed court orders to do so, agreeing only to fund partial benefits.

    “The record here shows that the government sat on its hands for nearly a month, unprepared to make partial payments, while people who rely on SNAP received no benefits a week into November and counting,” an appeals court said Sunday.

    The seven Democrats who caved and joined Republicans in voting through the funding agreement Monday are all years away from re-election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (who voted against the deal, despite playing a key role in negotiations) is consequently facing calls to resign from some fellow Democrats and progressive groups like MoveOn and Our Revolution over his handling of the shutdown. 

    “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” progressive Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) wrote in a post on X.

    The Florida Democratic Party also blasted the Senate’s funding deal, opting to blame Republicans rather than any of the Democrats (or Schumer) who were complicit in its passage.

    “A temporary deal to end the shutdown without healthcare is not a real solution,” said FDP chair Nikki Fried in a statement.

    “Republicans have once again betrayed the American people,” she argued. “This deal will force millions of Americans to choose between medicine or groceries. It doesn’t have to be this way. A deal without health care is unacceptable — plain and simple.”

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    Expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits have been central to the funding fight behind the federal government shutdown

    Florida has the fourth largest SNAP enrollment nationwide with 2.94 million relying on the assistance for food security

    The court agreed with the Department of Homeland Security that the case should be paused until government attorneys can work again.



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  • Trump administration renews Supreme Court appeal to keep full SNAP payments frozen

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    President Donald Trump’s administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday in a push to keep full payments in the SNAP federal food aid program frozen while the government is shut down, even as some families struggled to put food on the table.

    The request is the latest in a flurry of legal activity over how the program that helps 42 million Americans buy groceries should proceed during the historic U.S. government shutdown. Lower courts have ruled that the government must keep full payments flowing, but the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to keep them frozen for now.

    The high court is expected to rule Tuesday.

    The seesawing rulings so far have created a situation where beneficiaries in some states, including Hawaii and New Jersey, have received their full monthly allocations and those in others, such as Nebraska and West Virginia, have seen nothing.

    Brandi Johnson, 48, of St. Louis, said she’s struggling to make the $20 she has left in her SNAP account stretch. Johnson said she has been skipping meals the past two weeks to make sure her three teenage children have something to eat. She is also helping care for her infant granddaughter, who has food allergies, and her 80-year-old mother.

    She said food pantries have offered little help in recent days. Many require patrons to live in a certain ZIP code or are dedicated to helping the elderly first.

    “I think about it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, literally,” Johnson said. “Because you’ve got to figure out how you’re going to eat.”

    Millions receive aid while others wait

    The Trump administration argued that lower court orders requiring the full funding of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program wrongly affect ongoing negotiations in Congress about ending the shutdown. Supreme Court Solicitor General D. John Sauer called the funding lapse tragic, but said judges shouldn’t be deciding how to handle it.

    The Senate Monday passed a compromise funding package that would end the government shutdown and refill SNAP funds. It now goes to the House for consideration.

    Trump’s administration initially said SNAP benefits would not be available in November because of the shutdown. After some states and nonprofit groups sued, judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled the administration could not skip November’s benefits entirely.

    The administration then said it would use an emergency reserve fund to provide 65% of the maximum monthly benefit. On Thursday, Rhode Island-based U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell said that wasn’t good enough, and ordered full funding for SNAP benefits by Friday.

    Some states acted quickly to direct their EBT vendors to disburse full monthly benefits to SNAP recipients. Millions of people in at least a dozen states — all with Democratic governors — received the full amount to buy groceries before Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson put McConnell’s order on hold Friday night, pending further deliberation by an appeals court.

    Delays cause complications for some beneficiaries

    Millions more people still have not received SNAP payments for November, because their states were waiting on guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP. Several states have made partial payments, including Texas, where officials said money was going on cards for some beneficiaries Monday.

    “Continued delays deepen suffering for children, seniors, and working families, and force nonprofits to shoulder an even heavier burden,” Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said in a statement Monday. “If basic decency and humanity don’t compel the administration to assure food security for all Americans, then multiple federal court judges finding its actions unlawful must.”

    Trump’s administration has argued that the judicial order to provide full benefits violates the Constitution by infringing on the spending power of the legislative and executive branches.

    Wisconsin, which was among the first to load full benefits after McConnell’s order, had its federal reimbursement frozen. The state’s SNAP account could be depleted as soon as Monday, leaving no money to reimburse stores that sell food to SNAP recipients, according to a court filing.

    New York Attorney General Letitia James said Monday that some cardholders have been turned away by stores concerned that they won’t be reimbursed — something she called to stop.

    New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said Trump was fighting “for the right to starve Americans.”

    “It’s the most heinous thing I’ve ever seen in public life,” he said.

    The latest rulings keep payments on hold, at least for now

    States administering SNAP payments continue to face uncertainty over whether they can — and should — provide full monthly benefits during the ongoing legal battles.

    The Trump administration over the weekend demanded that states “undo” full benefits that were paid during a one-day window after a federal judge ordered full funding and before a Supreme Court justice paused that order.

    A federal appeals court in Boston left the full benefits order in place late Sunday, though the Supreme Court order ensures the government won’t have to pay out for at least 48 hours.

    “The record here shows that the government sat on its hands for nearly a month, unprepared to make partial payments, while people who rely on SNAP received no benefits a week into November and counting,” Judge Julie Rikleman of the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals wrote.

    U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, presiding over a case filed in Boston by Democratic state officials, on Monday paused the USDA’s request from Saturday that states “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits.”

    In a hearing later that Monday, Talwani said that communication to states was confusing, especially because the threat came just a day after USDA sent letters to states saying SNAP would be paid in full.

    Federal government lawyer Tyler Becker said the order was only intended for states to receive the full amount of SNAP benefits, and “had nothing to do with beneficiaries.”

    Talwani said she would issue a full order soon.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Kimberlee Kruesi in Providence, Rhode Island; Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; and Stephen Groves and Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

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  • Did Democrats Win the Shutdown After All?

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    The shutdown is not yet over: once the bill is through the Senate, it must pass the House—where Democratic leaders appear in no mood to compromise and the G.O.P. majority is slim—before Trump can sign off. But Senate Democrats’ resistance is over, and so this is an opportune moment to evaluate where the shutdown has left the Party. The impression that it contrived not only to snatch a snivelling defeat from the jaws of certain victory but to do so just as it had finally secured some electoral momentum is widespread, intuitive, and appealing—an exquisitely on-the-nose regression to the Party’s hapless recent mean. But I’m not sure that’s what happened here.

    First, if the central Democratic goal was to be seen to be fighting back, then the Party already did that: over the weekend, the shutdown passed the forty-day mark, making it the longest in U.S. history. (The previous longest was thirty-five days, in Trump’s first term.) And, at least to some extent, I think Democrats did succeed on the merits, too: not only in focussing attention on health care as a pocketbook issue but in tying it to broader concerns about Trump’s unprecedented corruption, albeit in a more roundabout way than the direct rhetorical fusion that Klein initially proposed. Trump himself helped with this, by hauling down a wing of the White House to build an opulent ballroom and hosting a “Great Gatsby”-themed party at Mar-a-Lago while attempting to withhold food aid from millions of low-income Americans. As the election results filtered in last week, a narrative emerged, including a version among Republicans, that Trump had lost because he had become more fixated on the trappings of power than on high prices.

    Presidents typically get a honeymoon period. Joe Biden’s seemed to end in August, 2021, when he was perceived as having botched the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump’s appeared to last longer, at least in terms of élite consensus. I’ve thought a lot about why this was, and have concluded that the diffuseness of crises that he provoked had a lot to do with it—preventing the concentration of attention on one singular debacle. The shutdown alone did not cut through this dynamic. But it played heavily into the story of the recent elections, which did. The media is now asking whether Trump, finally, might be walking and quacking like a lame duck.

    If Democrats’ goal was to guarantee Republican concessions on the health-care subsidies, then they would appear to have failed. Yet I’m not sure that Democrats holding out for longer would have got them much further. Trump did get the jitters, but responded, as The Atlantic’s Jonathan Chait noted, not by caving on health care but by ranting about the filibuster, ultimately picking a different way of doubling down. (And, as Klein has pointed out, at least in a very cynical political sense, a deal on the subsidies might not have been advantageous for Democrats politically, if it saved Republicans from an acute electoral vulnerability during next year’s midterms.)

    Both Chait and Klein argued this week that Democrats should nonetheless have fought on: Chait suggested that an internecine G.O.P. war over the filibuster would have intensified, possibly leading to its elimination (which Democrats ought to welcome, because the filibuster sucks); Klein wrote that the shutdown had only just succeeded in its goal of concentrating attention on Trump’s fecklessness, and that shutdown-induced chaos ruining people’s Thanksgiving trips would have underscored it. But I don’t think Senate Republicans would likely have scrapped the filibuster to end the impasse. (Their leader, John Thune, has at least been clear that the caucus wouldn’t have supported it.) And I don’t see why, at this point, the Democrats need this shutdown to continue marshalling attention—they have made sure that the health-care debate will continue outside that framework, and the Senate deal funds much of the government only through January, at which point Democrats could shutter it again. One could also make the case that by appearing to cave now, the Democrats have forfeited any credit they built for fighting in the first place. But pressing on with this particular fight forever wouldn’t have been costless: the shutdown has inflicted real harm on federal workers and SNAP recipients, among others. There are trade-offs, of course—rising Obamacare premiums will harm people, too.

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  • Senate votes to end government shutdown, sending funding bill to the House

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    (CNN) — A small band of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans on Monday night to approve a funding measure to reopen the federal government — without securing their party’s demand to guarantee an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which help millions of Americans afford insurance.

    The funding compromise will now go to the House, where GOP leaders are hopeful it could pass as soon as Wednesday and end the longest-ever US shutdown. The recently struck deal, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign, would restore critical services like federal food aid, as well as pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

    Eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus crossed the aisle to join with Republicans in the 60 to 40 vote. One Republican voted in opposition: Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

    That shutdown has been politically painful on Capitol Hill. Republicans have repeatedly shouldered blame in recent polling for the funding lapse. And the deal, struck by Democratic centrists in the Senate, has ignited a fight within the party about its strategy in the already 41-day funding fight — and where they go next.

    Most Democrats were eager to keep fighting even as centrists declared that with Trump dug in, there was no real chance of securing policy wins on health care. Instead, those centrists secured the promise of a future vote on a health care bill of their choosing, which Democrats are determined to win GOP support on. It is far from guaranteed, however, that the bill will survive the Senate, let alone the House.

    The vote late Monday night caps a frenetic few days of negotiations inside the US Capitol, with quiet negotiations between the Senate centrists, GOP leaders and the White House throughout the weekend before formally unveiling their deal on Sunday. A bloc of eight members of the Democratic caucus took a critical first step to support that measure Sunday night, and all eight gave it final approval on Monday night.

    Those eight lawmakers were: Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jeanne Shaheen, Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman, Jacky Rosen and Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.

    While he did not vote for the final deal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has drawn fury from the party’s left for allowing those centrists to strike the deal without any real wins on the Affordable Care Act subsidies that will soon expire and hike premiums for millions of Americans.

    Many Democrats in both chambers believe the party will be forced to relive the fight again on January 30, when the next tranche of funding runs out. The broader legislative package, however, would fund several key agencies, including ones that run federal food aid, as well as the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program, and veterans programs, through the remainder of fiscal year 2026.

    The floor of the US Senate is seen here on November 10. Credit: Senate TV via CNN Newsource

    Now, attention will turn to House Speaker Mike Johnson and members of the House, who are making their way to Washington after being in their districts since mid-September.

    The House plans to vote on the Senate-passed bill to reopen the federal government as early as 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a notice from Majority Whip Tom Emmer. The notice forecasts multiple votes that day.

    The Republican speaker is likely to need the president’s help to muscle the package through his fractious conference in the coming days. But in an optimistic sign Monday, Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins “I would say so” when asked if he personally approved of the deal making its way through the process on Capitol Hill.

    “I think, based on everything I’m hearing, they haven’t changed anything, and we have support from enough Democrats, and we’re going to be opening up our country,” Trump said. “It’s too bad it was closed, but we’ll be opening up our country very quickly.”

    CNN’s Ellis Kim contributed to this report.

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    Sarah Ferris, Morgan Rimmer and CNN

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  • Senate advances deal to reopen government after centrist Democrats strike major deal to end shutdown

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    (CNN) — A critical bloc of eight Senate Democratic centrists on Sunday helped advance a funding deal to reopen the government in exchange for a future vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care subsidies, putting Congress on a path to end the longest shutdown in US history within days.

    That deal would include a new stopgap measure to extend government funding until January and be tied to a larger package to fully fund several key agencies. It includes no guarantee from Republicans to extend the health care subsidies that have been at the heart of the funding fight.

    What Democrats did secure is a future vote on the matter. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the chamber floor Sunday that he will hold a vote on a measure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits by the middle of next month. Democrats involved in the talks believe that will give enough time for House and Senate GOP leaders to negotiate a true compromise in the coming weeks, though it would be a major lift to get through a Republican-controlled Congress.

    Despite the outrage from the rest of the Senate Democratic Caucus, GOP leaders are determined to move the funding measure quickly through Congress and to President Donald Trump’s desk in the coming days. Once Trump has signed it into law, it’s still not clear how quickly agencies can restore services for the tens of millions of Americans facing shutdown pain, from the loss of federal food aid to child care closures to delayed paychecks. Senate GOP leaders have not yet scheduled a final passage vote.

    “I am optimistic that after almost six weeks of this shutdown, we’ll finally be able to end it,” Thune declared from the Senate floor on Day 40 of the funding lapse.

    An exasperated Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado voted no on the deal but argued that his colleagues who supported it did not “cave” and instead were doing “what they feel is helping the most number of people.”

    “There’s no good solution,” Hickenlooper said, adding that some of his colleagues believe Trump will “stop at nothing to prevent that subsidy from being restored.” He added: “I voted no just because … piss off, I’m just frustrated. We tried it and now we’re going to use every other tool. We’re not going to quit.”

    Once the Senate has given final approval to the funding measure, it heads to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson must muscle the deal through a fractious GOP conference — likely with help from Trump himself. It’s not yet clear how many House Democrats will help Johnson with that job.

    Behind the scenes, Senate Democrats who backed the deal to reopen the government say Trump’s increasing opposition in recent days to extending the Obamacare subsidies forced them to change their position and accept a compromise to end an indefinite government shutdown, according to sources familiar with their thinking.

    They believe that Democrats have an upper hand on the issue of health care and that a separate health care vote will spotlight the differences between the two parties, even though it has little chance of becoming law. And they’re not ruling out another shutdown showdown in January, when the next tranche of funding expires (though critical programs such as food aid and WIC will already be funded, to lessen the pain for millions of Americans).

    Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a retiring Democrat from New Hampshire, said Republicans made clear repeatedly over recent months that “this was the only deal on the table.”

    “Now I understand that not all of my Democratic colleagues are satisfied with this agreement, but waiting another week or another month wouldn’t deliver a better outcome.”

    Asked whether Democrats would willing to vote down the next funding measure on January 30 if Congress fails to deliver a health care fix by then, Shaheen said: “That’s certainly an option that everybody will consider.”

    The deal, which has been in the works for the last five weeks, came together between three former governors — Shaheen of New Hampshire, Angus King of Maine and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire — along with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the White House. Details of the deal were first reported by CNN.

    One of those Democrats involved is Sen. Tim Kaine, who represents thousands of federal workers in Virginia and who said he supports the GOP’s promise for a future vote on the subsidies.

    “Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will,” Kaine said of GOP senators who choose not to support extending the subsidies.

    And importantly for Kaine, Democrats also secured an agreement from the White House to reverse its mass firings of federal workers during the shutdown, as well as protections against them happening the rest of this fiscal year. It also guarantees all federal workers will be paid for time during the shutdown.

    But inside the Democratic Party, the funding deal has exposed a deep divide. Liberal senators were fuming at their colleagues for backing the deal, with House Democratic leaders vowing to “fight” the deal in the House.

    Senate Democratic leadership was split on the vote, with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer opposing the deal while his No. 2, retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, supported it.

    But some liberal senators have fiercely opposed the plan, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

    “For me, it’s no deal without health care,” Blumenthal said, voicing a widespread sentiment in the Democratic caucus. “So far as I’m concerned, health care isn’t included, and so I’ll be a no.”

    Even some centrist-leaning Democrats, like Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, voiced concerns with the idea on Sunday night.

    “I was involved for many weeks, and then over the last couple of weeks, it changed — last week it changed,” Slotkin said, noting that she was no longer involved in talks in recent days. “But I always said, like, it’s got to do something concrete on health care, and it’s hard to see how that happened.”

    Across the Capitol, House Democratic leaders sharply condemned the deal. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his caucus “will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” adding: “We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”

    One member, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, took to X on Sunday night calling for Schumer to be replaced. “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna wrote.

    House Democrats plan to have their own caucus huddle on Monday, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

    The broader legislative package would include three full-year appropriations bills that deal with military construction and veterans affairs, the legislative branch and the Department of Agriculture. That includes $203.5 million in new funding to enhance security measures and protection for members of Congress in addition to $852 million for US Capitol Police, per a summary of the bill to fund the legislative branch provided by top Democratic appropriator Sen. Patty Murray.

    The next step after Sunday night’s vote is a vote on the full measure, which includes the larger funding package negotiated between the two parties and a stopgap through January 30.

    The Senate would first vote to take up the House-passed stopgap measure, which means eight Democrats would need to support it for it to advance. Then, the Senate would amend that bill with the larger funding package negotiated between the two parties.

    Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who has voted on the GOP funding plan throughout the shutdown and criticized his own party’s stance, said Sunday that it is time to ”take the win.”

    Vote yes, he said, “and then we can find a way to lower our costs about health care.”

    This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

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    Manu Raju, Ted Barrett, Alison Main, Sarah Ferris and CNN

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  • Cyclists gather to help feed Minnesotans

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    SNAP benefits for Minnesotans have come back, as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues.

    Attorney General Keith Ellison was among those who sued the Trump Administration to restore the benefits, after they were paused on November 1. 440,000 Minnesotans rely on SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, for food.

    People in Minneapolis came together Saturday morning to support those who lost SNAP benefits for a week. Cyclists gathered at Angry Catfish bike shop for “Cranksgiving.” They biked to collect food for those who need it most.

    “With all the news, I figured if I can help out, I’m gonna do it,” said Kenneth Hammon of Minneapolis. “What better way to spend a Saturday morning?”

    “It’s incredible to see folks come together in this space,” said Jarrod Bunk of Angry Catfish.

    The Groveland Emergency Food Shelf says they’ve seen an uptick in visitors.

    “Since March of 2025, the demographic of folks using our food shelf is very different from ever before,” said Sharon Abel of Groveland Food Shelf in an October 14 interview.

    “We’ve had every day, since we last spoke, 15 or more people who’ve never used our food shelf before. Ever,” Abel added on Saturday.

    Donations from Saturday’s ride went to Groveland and another organization, Sanctuary Supply Depot.

    “It is also very overwhelming to handle all the people who want to come and help right now,” said Abel.

    On Saturday, Governor Tim Walz announced on social media that: “November SNAP benefits in Minnesota have been restored. We will not let Minnesotans go hungry.”

    “I really hope in all of this we can find ways to be joyful,” said Abel. “The greatest form of resistance is joy.”

    U.S. Senators convened for a rare Saturday session aimed at ending the government shutdown, with no signs of an imminent breakthrough.

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  • Watch: John Thune speaks during rare Saturday session on government shutdown

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    Watch: John Thune speaks during rare Saturday session on government shutdown – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Senators convened for a Saturday session on the 39th day of the record-breaking government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke as both sides still appeared far apart.

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  • US airlines again cancel more than 1,000 flights on second day of cuts tied to government shutdown

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    U.S. airlines again canceled more than 1,000 flights Saturday, mostly because of the government shutdown and the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce air traffic.The slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports is now in its second day and so far hasn’t caused any widespread disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Friday, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions.Related video above: What to do if your air travel is impacted by the government shutdownTHIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below:Hundreds of flights at the busiest airports in the U.S. are being scratched this weekend as airlines move forward with reducing air service due to the lingering government shutdown.So far, the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandated slowdown across the airline industry that began Friday hasn’t caused any widespread disruptions. But it has widened the impact of what’s now the nation’s longest federal shutdown.”We all travel. We all have somewhere to be,” said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was flying out of Miami Saturday to visit family in the Dominican Republic for the week. “I’m hoping that the government can take care of this.”Analysts warn that the upheaval will intensify and be felt far beyond air travel if the cancellations pick up and move closer to the Thanksgiving holiday.Already, there are concerns about the impact on cities and businesses that rely on tourism and the possibility of shipping interruptions that could delay getting holiday items on store shelves.Here’s what to know about the flight reductions:How many flights have been canceled?The first day of the Federal Aviation Administration’s slowdown saw more than 1,000 flights canceled, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.More than 950 were off for Saturday — typically a slow travel day. The airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, was by far the hardest hit with 120 arriving and departing flights canceled by midday.Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Orlando, Florida, were among the most disrupted. Staffing shortages in Charlotte and Newark, New Jersey, were slowing traffic too.Not all the cancellations were due to the FAA order, and those numbers represent just a small portion of the overall flights nationwide, but they are certain to rise in the coming days if the slowdown continues.The FAA said the reductions impacting all commercial airlines are starting at 4% of flights at 40 targeted airports and will be bumped up again on Tuesday before hitting 10% of flights on Friday.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned this week that even more flight cuts might be needed if the government shutdown continues and more air traffic controllers are off the job.Why are the flights being canceled?Air traffic controllers have gone without paychecks for nearly a month as the shutdown continues, leading many to call in sick and add to already existing staffing shortages.Most controllers are working mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, and some are taking second jobs to pay their bills, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said.How are passengers being affected?Most were relieved to find that airlines largely stayed on schedule Friday, and those whose flights were called off were able to quickly rebook. So far, longer international flights haven’t been interrupted.There’s still a lot of uncertainty about what flights will be canceled next.And not everyone has the means to pay for a hotel or deal with a last-minute disruption, said Heather Xu, 46, who was in Miami on Saturday after a cruise and flying home to Puerto Rico.”Travel is stressful enough, then you put these disruptions in place and it really makes everything more challenging,” she said.Rental car companies reported a sharp increase in one-way reservations Friday, and some people are simply canceling flights altogether.What could be the impacts beyond air travel?First, there’s the potential for higher prices in stores, as nearly half of all U.S. air freight is shipped in the bellies of passenger aircraft.Major flight disruptions could bring higher shipping costs that get passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.More losses will ripple through the economy if the slowdown continues — from tourism to manufacturing, said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group.”This shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo aircraft to people getting to business meetings to tourists being able to travel,” he said. “It’s going to hit the hotel taxes and city taxes. There’s a cascading effect that results from this thing.”___Associated Press journalists Cody Jackson in Miami, Paul Wiseman in Washington, Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Matt Sedensky in New York contributed.

    U.S. airlines again canceled more than 1,000 flights Saturday, mostly because of the government shutdown and the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce air traffic.

    The slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports is now in its second day and so far hasn’t caused any widespread disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Friday, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions.

    Related video above: What to do if your air travel is impacted by the government shutdown

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below:

    Hundreds of flights at the busiest airports in the U.S. are being scratched this weekend as airlines move forward with reducing air service due to the lingering government shutdown.

    So far, the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandated slowdown across the airline industry that began Friday hasn’t caused any widespread disruptions. But it has widened the impact of what’s now the nation’s longest federal shutdown.

    “We all travel. We all have somewhere to be,” said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was flying out of Miami Saturday to visit family in the Dominican Republic for the week. “I’m hoping that the government can take care of this.”

    Analysts warn that the upheaval will intensify and be felt far beyond air travel if the cancellations pick up and move closer to the Thanksgiving holiday.

    Already, there are concerns about the impact on cities and businesses that rely on tourism and the possibility of shipping interruptions that could delay getting holiday items on store shelves.

    Here’s what to know about the flight reductions:

    How many flights have been canceled?

    The first day of the Federal Aviation Administration’s slowdown saw more than 1,000 flights canceled, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.

    More than 950 were off for Saturday — typically a slow travel day. The airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, was by far the hardest hit with 120 arriving and departing flights canceled by midday.

    Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Orlando, Florida, were among the most disrupted. Staffing shortages in Charlotte and Newark, New Jersey, were slowing traffic too.

    Not all the cancellations were due to the FAA order, and those numbers represent just a small portion of the overall flights nationwide, but they are certain to rise in the coming days if the slowdown continues.

    The FAA said the reductions impacting all commercial airlines are starting at 4% of flights at 40 targeted airports and will be bumped up again on Tuesday before hitting 10% of flights on Friday.

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned this week that even more flight cuts might be needed if the government shutdown continues and more air traffic controllers are off the job.

    Why are the flights being canceled?

    Air traffic controllers have gone without paychecks for nearly a month as the shutdown continues, leading many to call in sick and add to already existing staffing shortages.

    Most controllers are working mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, and some are taking second jobs to pay their bills, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said.

    How are passengers being affected?

    Most were relieved to find that airlines largely stayed on schedule Friday, and those whose flights were called off were able to quickly rebook. So far, longer international flights haven’t been interrupted.

    There’s still a lot of uncertainty about what flights will be canceled next.

    And not everyone has the means to pay for a hotel or deal with a last-minute disruption, said Heather Xu, 46, who was in Miami on Saturday after a cruise and flying home to Puerto Rico.

    “Travel is stressful enough, then you put these disruptions in place and it really makes everything more challenging,” she said.

    Rental car companies reported a sharp increase in one-way reservations Friday, and some people are simply canceling flights altogether.

    What could be the impacts beyond air travel?

    First, there’s the potential for higher prices in stores, as nearly half of all U.S. air freight is shipped in the bellies of passenger aircraft.

    Major flight disruptions could bring higher shipping costs that get passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.

    More losses will ripple through the economy if the slowdown continues — from tourism to manufacturing, said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group.

    “This shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo aircraft to people getting to business meetings to tourists being able to travel,” he said. “It’s going to hit the hotel taxes and city taxes. There’s a cascading effect that results from this thing.”

    ___

    Associated Press journalists Cody Jackson in Miami, Paul Wiseman in Washington, Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Matt Sedensky in New York contributed.

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  • What to know if your travel plans are impacted by the FAA’s flight cancellations

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    If you have upcoming travel plans anytime soon, you might notice fewer options on the airport’s departure board.

    Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U.S. airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

    The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe. Many controllers have been putting in long hours and mandatory overtime while lawmakers are at a standstill over how to reopen the government.

    Major hubs like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among those affected, and the ripple effects could mean more cancellations, longer delays and fuller flights for travelers across the country. The cutbacks will impact hundreds if not thousands of flights daily.

    Here’s what to know about the FAA’s order — and what you can do if your plans are disrupted:

    Is my airport on the list?

    There’s a good chance it is. The list spans more than two dozen states.

    It includes the country’s busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia — and the main airports in Boston, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco and Salt Lake City.

    Multiple airports will be impacted in some metropolitan hubs, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington.

    How long will this go on?

    It’s hard to say. Even if the shutdown ends soon, the FAA has said it would not lift the flight restrictions until staffing at airport towers and regional air traffic centers makes it safe to do so.

    “It’s going to take time to work through this,” said Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble Travel, an association of travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

    That’s why, he said, it’s important to plan ahead — whether you’ve already booked flights or you’re just starting to make holiday travel plans.

    Know before you go

    Airlines say they will let their customers know if their flight is called off.

    Still, it doesn’t hurt to check your airline’s app or a flight-tracking site for updates before you leave for the airport. It’s better to be stuck at home or in a hotel than stranded in a terminal.

    My flight was canceled. Now what?

    “Take a deep breath. Don’t panic,” Johnson said. “There are options available. They may not be ideal, and they may be inconvenient, but you have options.”

    If you’re already at the airport, it’s time to get in line to speak to a customer service representative. While you’re waiting, you can call or go online to connect to the airline’s reservations staff. It can also help to reach out on the social platform X because airlines might respond quickly there.

    Now might also be the time to consider if it makes sense to travel by train, car or bus instead.

    Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, said the shutdown is different from when a single airline is having problems and travelers can just pick another carrier.

    “The longer the shutdown drags on, it’s unlikely that there will be one airline running on time if the rest of the them are failing,” Potter said.

    Can I get a refund or compensation?

    The airlines will be required to issue full refunds, according to the FAA. However, they aren’t required to cover extra costs like meals or hotel stays — unless the delay or cancellation was within their control, according to the Department of Transportation.

    You can also check the DOT website to see what your airline promises for refunds or other costs if your flight is disrupted.

    Should I just stay home for the holidays?

    Not necessarily. You might just need a little more planning and flexibility than usual.

    A travel adviser can help take some stress off your plate, and travel insurance may give you an extra safety net.

    Johnson also warned that flights could sell out fast once the shutdown ends.

    “There will be a flurry of booking activity,” he said. “So try to get ahead of it and make sure that you’re protected.”

    Booking an early flight can also help, says Tyler Hosford, security director at risk mitigation company International SOS. If it gets canceled, you still “have the whole day” to sort things out.

    Other tips

    Travel light. Limiting baggage to a carry-on means one less airport line to deal with, and if your plans change unexpectedly, you’ll already have everything with you.

    Give yourself extra time at the airport, especially if you’re an anxious flyer or traveling with young children or anyone who needs extra help getting around.

    And be nice. Airline agents are likely helping other frustrated travelers, too, and yelling won’t make them more willing to help. Remember, the cancellations aren’t their fault.

    “An extra ounce of kindness to yourself and to others at this time of year, with all of the disruptions, will go a long way,” Johnson said.

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  • Washington’s struggling economy takes another economic hit from the government shutdown – WTOP News

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    The Capital Area Food Bank, which serves 400 pantries and aid organizations in D.C., Virginia and Maryland, is providing 8 million more meals than it had prepared to this budget year.

    An employee moves pallets of food at a warehouse of the Capital Area Food Bank, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)(AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

    WASHINGTON (AP) — With the combination of the longest government shutdown, the mass firings of government workers and a fresh cut in federal food aid, the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington is bracing for the swell of people who will need its help before the holiday season.

    The food bank, which serves 400 pantries and aid organizations in the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and two Maryland counties, is providing 8 million more meals than it had prepared to this budget year — a nearly 20% increase.

    The city is being hit “especially hard,” said Radha Muthiah, the group’s CEO and president, “because of the sequence of events that has occurred over the course of this year.”

    The nation’s capital has been battered by a series of decisions by the Trump administration, from the layoffs of federal workers to the ongoing law enforcement intervention into the district. The added blow of the shutdown, which has furloughed workers and paused money for food assistance, is only deepening the economic toll.

    The latest figures from the D.C. Office of Revenue Analysis do not account for workforce changes since the shutdown that began Oct. 1. But even the September jobs report shows that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate hovers at 6%, compared with the most recent national rate of 4.3%, and has been the highest in the nation for months.

    The economic woes appear to be reverberating politically. Democrat Abigail Spanberger won election Tuesday as Virginia’s governor after focusing her campaign message on the effects of President Donald Trump’s actions on the state’s economy.

    The shutdown’s long-term impact on the regional economy will be felt long after the government reopens, experts say.

    Local businesses feeling the crunch

    Washington has the country’s largest share of federal workers — about 20%, according to official figures — and roughly 150,000 federal employees call the area home. By Monday, hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country will have missed at least two full paychecks because of the shutdown. Nationally, at least 670,000 federal employees are furloughed, while about 730,000 are working without pay, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

    During the shutdown, the number of federal employees on Washington’s transit system each weekday has dropped by about one-quarter compared with ridership in September. Eateries that the Restaurant Association of Greater Washington says were already dealing with thin margins from seasonal declines and the fallout from Trump’s deployment of armed National Guard members on city streets are facing more challenges at a time when owners had hoped for a rebound.

    Tracy Hadden Loh, a fellow at Brookings Metro, a think tank, said that going without paychecks is causing significant cash flow issues for federal workers, potentially leading to defaults on mortgages and student loans. For local businesses, especially those reliant on federal workers’ discretionary spending, it could exacerbate the impact during the high-sales October-December quarter.

    “A lot of businesses rely on higher spending in Q4 in order to have a revenue positive year,” Loh said.

    Small businesses are feeling the loss of that spending.

    The crowd watching Liverpool’s Premier League game last weekend would have been standing room only at The Queen Vic, a bar in Northeast Washington. But that was not the case, said Ryan Gordon, co-owner of the British pub.

    “We still had seats for people, which means the bars around us who get our overflow got nothing,” Gordon said.

    Business is down about 50% compared with what it was before the shutdown, he said. He considers himself lucky in the local restaurant scene because he owns the building and does not have to pay rent.

    “To the extent to which discretionary spending by D.C. area households is limited, that could push a lot of local businesses into the red,” Loh said. The culmination of the shutdown, cut in SNAP benefits and layoffs are weighing heavy on households that have never sought help before, she added.

    A family gets squeezed out of the region

    Thea Price was fired from her job at the U.S. Institute of Peace in March of this year, part of the wave of layoffs meant to shrink the size of the federal government. Her husband, a government contractor, also lost his job at a museum. Since then, they have lived on savings, Medicaid and SNAP.

    Price, 37, recently went to a food pantry in Arlington, Virginia, for the first time recently. The shutdown halted funding for SNAP, after it took her months to get it, and the $500 payments she receives each month were set to stop. Virginia sent a partial payment but it was not enough, Price said. With her options to sustain herself and her family running out, Price is moving back to her hometown in the Seattle area.

    “We can’t afford to stay in the area any longer and hope that something might pan out,” she said. “We’re just in a much different place than when these things started in March.”

    At the Capital Area Food Bank in Northeast Washington, forklifts sped around in a controlled chaos, unloading trucks, moving food and preparing for a distribution set up for federal employees and contractors, and preparations are intensifying with the holiday season in mind. The organization is expecting to provide 1 million more meals this month than it had anticipated before the shutdown.

    “We’re very focused obviously on the immediacy of all of these impacts today and getting food to those who need it,” said Muthiah, the group’s director. But she cautioned there were long-term implications to the unfolding crisis, with people tapping their savings and retirement funds to get by.

    “People are borrowing against their futures to be able to pay for basic necessities today,” she said.

    ___

    Associated Press video journalist Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • The Human Toll of the Suspension of SNAP

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    Angel Goodwin used to work remotely, processing applications for Medicaid and for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. People would sometimes yell at her over the phone—“I’ve been called every name but a child of God,” she said—but it was worse when they cried. “Especially the elderly. They would be approved for, like, thirty dollars a month, and they’re getting Social Security for, like, nine hundred and forty-three dollars. They’d be, like, ‘Honey, I can’t—I don’t know what I’m going to do, I don’t have anybody.’ ” Goodwin, a single mother with an eleven-year-old son, also received SNAP benefits. “Little do they know I’m in the same boat,” she said.

    Earlier this year, Goodwin began to feel pain shooting down from her shoulder, most likely a consequence of repetitive computer work. At the beginning of October, she took a short-term disability leave. Then, toward the end of the month, she logged in to her SNAP account and saw an alarming notification: November benefits weren’t coming. She and her son had already scaled back to subsist on the short-term disability benefits, which were “not very much at all,” she said. Now they’d have to make do with less, even as food prices seemed to get higher every week. “Personally, my faith will always outweigh my fear,” she said. “But it’s at a scary point now.”

    Amid the prolonged government shutdown, which is now the longest in American history, SNAP benefits have become a political football. In previous shutdowns, emergency funds have been used to cover the program, which serves around forty-two million Americans. But the Trump Administration has declined to do so. A number of states have stepped in to cover the gap, or to provide additional money to food banks; Texas, which has a multibillion-dollar rainy-day fund, has done neither. (H-E-B, the grocery-store chain which arguably serves as a second layer of social services in the state, has donated six million dollars to food banks.) At the end of October, a federal judge ordered the Administration to continue SNAP payments. But, several days later, there was nothing in Goodwin’s SNAP account; the Administration has said that November payments will be only partial, and it’s unclear when the funds will arrive.

    Goodwin, who grew up in South Carolina, had what she describes as “a pretty rough childhood.” In her early twenties, she cut ties with her family, and found herself with a young child and no real support system. She slept on friends’ couches and then, when she felt her welcome wearing out, in her car. Being homeless was tolerable—“You meet cool people on the streets, people with wisdom,” she said—but she wanted her son to have a more stable life. She got a job working the night shift at a gas station, and earned enough money to move into a hotel where she paid by the week. It took two years to save up enough to cover a deposit to rent a small apartment. “I didn’t have any furniture—no couch or anything like that, just a couple of pans that I’d had in the hotel,” she said. “We pretty much slept on the floor. We literally started from zero.” When she felt overwhelmed, she prayed to God for guidance. She began having dreams about Texas, the state’s outline popping up in unexpected places. In her journal, she asked God if this was really what he wanted her to do— she’d never left South Carolina before. Yes was the answer she received, so she began researching apartments online. By now, she was working remotely as a customer-service representative for a bank, but she’d need more money to fund the move. On YouTube, she learned about retail arbitrage—essentially, buying discounted items in bulk and then reselling them on Amazon at a markup. The scheme eventually stopped working, but by then she’d saved up enough money to cover the deposit on an apartment in Houston. Two years ago, she moved into a renovated two-bedroom with pale-gray walls and a bright, narrow kitchen. Her days were taken up with work and with homeschooling her son.

    On the morning of November 3rd, day three of no SNAP, Goodwin put her son in the car and drove twenty-five minutes to the West Houston Assistance Ministries, a nonprofit social-services organization, which was hosting a special food-distribution event for SNAP recipients. When she arrived, at around 9 A.M., a line of cars snaked down the block, and volunteers in neon vests directed traffic. Nationwide, fourteen per cent of households are considered food-insecure. In Harris County, which comprises Houston, the figure is close to forty per cent. WHAM had seen a notable uptick in need since the shutdown began, on October 1st. “We’ve been focussed on food, but we’ve also seen an increase in evictions—it’s a crisis on top of a crisis,” Neysa Gavion, a social worker and a senior case manager at WHAM, told me. “And the interesting thing is, while we’ve always had people at the poverty line or below, this is the middle class.” Recently, the organization had provided assistance to an I.R.S. employee and single mother who was days from being evicted. “People that weren’t impacted before are being impacted now,” Gavion said. A retired woman waiting in line told me that she had contemplated growing her own food. “I got a little balcony. Maybe I can grow some beans?” she said.

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  • Supreme Court lets Trump pause full SNAP payments for now

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    (CNN) — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on Friday temporarily paused a lower court order that required the Trump administration to cover full food stamp benefits for tens of millions of Americans in November, siding with the administration on a short-term basis in a legal fight that has quickly become a defining confrontation of the government shutdown.

    The upshot is that the US Department of Agriculture will not have to immediately honor a lower court order that required it to transfer $4 billion to the key food assistance program by the end of the day. The decision, while temporary, could put at risk the full benefits for millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to feed themselves and their families.

    The order does not resolve the underlying legal questions raised by the case – and the Trump administration has already committed to using the program’s contingency fund to partially pay benefits. Rather, Jackson’s “administrative stay” freezes any additional action by the administration to give an appeals court additional time to review the case.

    Jackson is the justice assigned to handle emergency appeals from the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals.

    The legal fight over food stamps has emerged as a central pressure point between all three branches during the historically long government shutdown because it is one of the easiest to understand and most tangible impacts of that impasse so far. At stake is food assistance that nearly 42 million Americans rely on.

    It’s unclear how the case will ultimately impact the billions of dollars spent in federal SNAP funding.

    Complying with the lower court

    The Trump administration’s emergency request to the justices came hours after the USDA told states that it was working to comply with the ruling to fully fund the program that was issued a day earlier by US District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island.

    This latest legal move has injected more uncertainty into whether food stamp recipients would see their full allotments anytime soon.

    The administration had made a similar emergency appeal to a Boston-based federal appeals court Friday morning, but the court had not yet weighed in by the time the USDA sent the guidance, which also said the process to make full funding for November available should be completed later on Friday. The appeals court, in a brief order Friday night, declined to put the payments on hold temporarily while it reviewed the case “as quickly as possible.”

    In its emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, the administration said, “Such a funding lapse is a crisis. But it is a crisis occasioned by congressional failure and one that can only be solved through congressional action.”

    “The district court’s ruling,” US Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the Supreme Court, “is untenable at every turn.”

    The administration moved to appeal McConnell’s order after he ruled on Thursday that the government had to provide full SNAP benefits for November, instead of issuing only partial benefits as he had mandated days earlier.

    Rushing to fund full benefits

    Before the latest legal twist, several states had rushed to start issuing full SNAP payments to their residents. But that has caused problems, according to the administration’s filing to the Supreme Court.

    Sauer told the court that Wisconsin immediately filed for 100% of its residents’ benefits to be placed on their electronic benefit transfer cards. But the USDA rejected the request because it had not yet had time to comply with McConnell’s order. That resulted in the state overdrawing its letter of credit by $20 million.

    Similarly, Kansas issued full benefits worth nearly $32 million to approximately 86,000 households in the state, Sauer said.

    These actions have hurt states that did not move quickly to issue benefits, he continued. They will be unable to receive funding to provide partial payments to their residents under McConnell’s prior order.

    Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly reacted to the Supreme Court’s action in a statement Friday night, saying, “Today, in accordance with a court’s order and after receiving guidance from the USDA, Kansas sent full November SNAP benefits to all eligible Kansans. These Kansans, most of them children, seniors or people with disabilities, were struggling to put food on their plates.”

    Other states have also promised beneficiaries would start receiving their full allotments as soon as Friday or over the weekend.

    Pennsylvania residents who should have already received their SNAP benefits this month will start seeing their full payments hit their electronic benefit transfer cards on Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced at a press conference earlier in the day.

    “We are hoping that by this evening, by midnight or so, that all of those individuals who were owed money over the first week or so of this month, who hadn’t gotten it from the federal administration, are going to get their money,” Shapiro said.

    Meanwhile, the governors of Maryland and New York said beneficiaries could expect to start seeing their benefits over the weekend.

    The food stamp program has been in legal limbo since last month, when officials said recipients would not receive their payments for November due to the lapse in appropriations for the government.

    The decision prompted two lawsuits, with two federal judges ruling last week that the agency must at least tap into contingency funds to provide partial benefits for this month or, at its discretion, use other revenue to fully fund November’s allotments.

    The agency opted to fund partial benefits, but warned it could take weeks or months for some states to recalculate the allotments and distribute the assistance. The plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case raced back to McConnell earlier this week to argue that he should require the USDA to fully fund the benefits to get the money out the door quickly.

    McConnell obliged. He ruled the administration had not worked fast enough to ensure at least partial benefits reached millions of the program’s recipients and that it had acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” when it decided against providing the full benefits this month.

    “People have gone without for too long,” McConnell said during a hearing Thursday. “Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.”

    Under McConnell’s ruling, the government was required to transfer additional unused tariff revenue used to support child nutrition programs in order to pay full SNAP benefits for November.

    This story has been updated with more details.

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    Devan Cole, John Fritze, Tami Luhby and CNN

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  • Supreme Court temporarily blocks full SNAP payments

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    The Supreme Court issued an emergency order on Friday night, temporarily blocking full payments of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

    Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.

    Why It Matters

    The fate of SNAP has become a critical and ongoing flashpoint in the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, with nearly 42 million Americans depending on the assistance to eat, some of whom already faced interruptions in food assistance due to the program’s funding being in limbo.

    What To Know

    According to the Associated Press, the High Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to appeal a previous ruling that would require SNAP to be fully funded amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

    The order written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson says in part, “The applicants assert that, without intervention from this
    Court, they will have to ‘transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight’ to fund SNAP benefits through November.”

    “Given the First Circuit’s representations, an administrative stay is required to facilitate the First Circuit’s expeditious resolution of the pending stay motion,” Justice Jackson wrote. The order now blocks a previous ruling by a Rhode Island judge that required the payments to be paid out by Friday night, NBC News notes.

    What People Are Saying

    New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul on X earlier on Friday before the Supreme Court order: “I’ve just directed state agencies to fully fund federal SNAP benefits for November. President Trump’s actions have been senseless and un-American. I’ll never stop fighting for New York’s families.”

    California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on X on Friday before the order: “Donald Trump is now going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to take SNAP food benefits away from Americans in need. California won’t back down in court from supporting the tens of millions of Americans the Trump Administration seemingly wants to starve.”

    Trump on Truth Social on Tuesday: “SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT”

    What Happens Next

    The Supreme Court’s administrative stay pauses District Judge John J. McConnell Jr.’s previous mandate for full SNAP payments, giving the First Circuit Court of Appeals additional time to review the case.

    Meanwhile, millions of SNAP recipients face continued uncertainty about the timing and amount of their benefits.

    Update 11/7/25 10:33 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

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  • Travelling soon? Know how to navigate flight cancellations now

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Flying soon? Listen up. 

    GOP LAWMAKER WARNS OF POSSIBLE FOOD, MEDICINE SHORTAGES AS FLIGHTS GROUNDED

    At 40 of the country’s busiest airports, flights coming and going will be reduced by 10% this week. 

    Travelers go through TSA airport security at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in SeaTac, Wash. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)

    That means thousands of flights canceled, or in other words, 200,000 fewer seats and butts in the air per day. Blame it on a record‑long government shutdown.

    FLIGHT CHAOS GRIPS US AIRPORTS AS SOME AIRLINES ADVISE BOOKING ‘BACKUP TICKET’: SEE THE LIST

    Major hubs will be the hardest hit: Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York‑JFK, Chicago O’Hare and many more. Together, those 40 airports cover roughly 70% of U.S. flights, so yes, even if you’re in Hicksville, you feel it.

    Your “flightmare” survival plan

    A man waits with his luggage

    A traveler waits with his luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 7, 2025. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the United States on Friday after the Trump administration ordered reductions to ease strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay amid congressional paralysis on funding the US budget. Forty airports were due to slow down, including the giant hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles.  (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

    Your “flightmare” survival plan

    If you plan on flying anywhere, here’s what you do.

    • Book the first flight of the day. Yea, it’s a bummer, but flights departing before 9 a.m. are about twice as likely to fly as those later in the day.
    • Download your airline’s app now. This is your fastest route to real‑time rebooks and alerts.
    • Use the MyTSA app. Get live security wait times, so you’re not stuck in a five‑hour shuffle line that’s already happening.
    • Check your seat map. Oddly empty flight = higher risk of cancellation. Full flight = safer bet.
    • Know your rights. If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to the cuts, you’re legally entitled to a cash refund, not just some future credit.
    • Have a Plan B. Rental car one‑way pickups are up 20% this week. Trains or even a longer drive might save your holiday.

    SHUTDOWN’S IMPACT AT AIRPORTS WILL WORSEN, SAYS TSA — TRAVELERS SHOULD ‘GO EARLY’ AND ‘BE PATIENT’

    Gas prices are down (average around $3.08), so a road trip could really make sense.

    Don’t wait. Don’t assume. Keep checking, stay flexible and treat your travel like you’d treat a storm warning: Get ahead of it, not behind it.

    Travellers head down an escalator after clearing through a security checkpoint in Denver International Airport Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Denver, during the government shutdown.

    Travelers head down an escalator after clearing through a security checkpoint in Denver International Airport Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP Photo)

    Pass this on: Know someone flying soon? Don’t leave them grounded. Forward this post before they end up sleeping in an airport chair with their neck at a 90-degree angle. Sharing this could save a trip, a holiday or at least someone’s sanity. And hey, we’ve all got that one friend who needs the reminder to download the airline app before they get to the gate.

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    Get tech-smarter on your schedule

    Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

    • National radio: Airing on 500+ stations across the US — Find yours or get the free podcast.
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  • House Dem reveals why she hijacked Speaker Johnson’s presser with viral outburst

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    Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended her interruption of Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s press conference that went viral this week, arguing her rage was justifiable because Johnson has been unwilling to negotiate with Democratic Party leaders to reopen the government.

    GOP lawmakers have argued the two warring parties could agree to a budget resolution and negotiate public healthcare subsidies – which Democrats are holding out for – down the road. But Houlahan suggested she disagreed despite Democratic Party Senate leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just a year and develop a committee to negotiate further how to handle the subsidies once the government is open. 

    “Because I believe that he’s our Speaker, the Speaker of the House and it’s important that he do his job,” Houlahan responded when asked why she decided to interrupt Johnson’s press conference. “And as near as I can tell, in the more than forty days [of the government shutdown], he hasn’t picked up a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country.”

    “Democrats could end this in the Senate if they would just pass the CR and then handle healthcare separate,” the congresswoman was then pressed. “Why do you see these as connected?” 

    SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES

    Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., is blocked by Capitol Police while interrupting Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., during a House Republican news conference about the government shutdown on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

    “I believe them to be inextricably connected,” Houlahan responded. “This is literally the healthcare – the livelihood and ability of people to thrive in our country, and I think this is the time to have this conversation.”

    Houlahan went on to say that the Trump administration “has been slowly strangling the American people” and said that by shutting down the government it is “trying to complete the job.”

    “Over the last nine months this administration has been slowly strangling the American people,” she said. “Shutting back down the government by itself and now it’s trying to complete the job.”

    When pressed further, Houlahan’s staff stepped in and said she needed to go and could not answer any more questions.

    THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE 

    The Democrat became viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson’s press conference outside the capitol building briefly descended into chaos once she got into a heated exchange with the Speaker demanding he meet with her caucus to end the shutdown. Houlahan was jeered back at and at a certain point Johnson told her to respect his free speech rights.

    Speaker Mike Johnson clashing with Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

    Democrat Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, right, crashed Speaker Mike Johnson’s daily government shutdown press conference on Nov. 5, 2025 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

    “You should respect free speech,” Houlahan clapped back. “I’m asking you a question if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir.”

    Johnson attempted to take a question from a reporter but told them, “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of their colleagues.”

    Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the speaker even as he tried to call order.

    “You have an obligation not just to speak lies to the American people, you have an obligation to call the leadership of both parties and bring us together, and solve this problem together,” she yelled.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    The following day, Houlahan participated in a Democratic Party press conference of her own on the steps of the capitol, during which no interruptions appeared to take place, according to recordings posted online. Houlahan referred to the viral moment between her and the speaker as a “dialogue,” during her comments. 

    “I like to think of it as a dialogue more than a confrontation,” she said of the pair’s exchange during the press conference. “He reminded me and the American people that he has literally not sat down and talked to Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth.”

    Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Kelly Phares contributed to this report.

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  • Minnesotans will receive full SNAP benefits this weekend due to court ruling, DCYF assures

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    The state is preparing to issue full SNAP benefits for November to the 440,000 Minnesotans enrolled in wake of a federal court ruling ordering existing federal funds to be directed to the program.   

    The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in a statement said that the food aid will be available as soon as this weekend. A U.S. District Court judge in Rhode Island on Thursday said the Trump administration must use SNAP reserve funds plus an additional pot of money with customs receipts to support the program amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history. 

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday issued a memo that it would comply with that federal order and begin the process of making those funds available, just as the Justice Department sought to block that decision. But late Friday evening, an appeals court left that order in place. 

    “As the longest shutdown in U.S. history concludes its sixth week, we are incredibly grateful Minnesotans will soon have access to their food benefits thanks to important legal system updates,” Tikki Brown, the agency commissioner, said in a statement. “When food support disappears, the consequences for Minnesota are immediate and far-reaching. It impacts public health, the state and local economies, education, and workforce stability.”

    The department will issue benefits to households currently approved to receive SNAP and the Minnesota Family Investment Program payments, which may mean some will get them sooner than normal. 

    Jason Viana, executive director of The Open Door, a food pantry in Eagan, said the back-and-forth in court and the prolonged standstill in Congress are leaving families in limbo. He said his organization hasn’t seen this many people come through their doors seeking help since the start of the pandemic. 

    “I think the challenge with all the news stories and the rulings and the judge orders is it’s just uncertain, and that uncertainty is what breeds anxiety and families that need food aren’t sure if they’re going to be able to get it,” he told WCCO in an interview Friday. 

    The Open Door has seen double the number of walk-ins and triple the number of requests from partners like schools and counties over the last several weeks. The shutdown is the longest on record at 37 days and counting with no clear end in sight.

    Since funding for SNAP lapsed, The Open Door has received a surge and donations. DFL Gov. Tim Walz also directed $4 million in emergency funding to food shelves that Viana said organizations like his just received. 

    But that support only goes so far. 

    “Food shelves alone cannot fill the gap that families are facing so it helps, and we’re grateful, but it’s still not going to get us to where we need to be,” he said. 

    Late Friday, Hennepin County also approved $2 million for food banks and food shelves through the end of the year.

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    Caroline Cummings

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