What we're covering
• Congress still deadlocked: The government shutdown is now in its 15th day as the stalemate continues on Capitol Hill. Senate Democrats have now voted eight times to block Republicans’ stopgap bill, and both sides are standing firm in their position.
• Ongoing impacts: In the midst of federal layoffs, Trump warned yesterday his administration is using the shutdown to permanently end federal programs championed by Democrats. This comes as he said that his administration had “identified funds” to pay military troops, who had been expected to miss their first paycheck today. The president is set to speak to reporters this afternoon in a press event with FBI Director Kash Patel.
• CNN town hall: Progressive lawmakers Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will field questions tonight at 9 p.m. ET from those who have been directly impacted by the shutdown.
Grijalva keeps pressure on Speaker Johnson to swear her in: "I don't need pomp and circumstance"
Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva pushed back on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s explanation for not swearing her in, arguing that she doesn’t need the “pomp and circumstance” of a ceremony as he suggested.
Johnson has said he will not swear in Grijalva until the House returns for regular session and the government reopens. He told reporters yesterday that Grijalva “deserves to have all the pomp and circumstance that everyone does.”
Arizona officials formally certified the results of Grijalva’s election this week and Arizona’s secretary of state warned that her office would take legal action if Grijalva isn’t seated immediately.
Grijalva told CNN that she’s exploring all legal options to ensure she’s sworn in soon.
Grijalva also told CNN that she has not spoken to Johnson. She said she has sent a letter, called, and even went to his office in-person yesterday but “nobody’s answering.”
The group of Democrats also continued to accuse Johnson of delaying Grijalva’s swearing-in because she would be the final signature needed on a petition to force a House vote on the Epstein files. Johnson has denied this as the reason for the delay.
Military members expected to be paid today after administration "identified funds" for troops
Active-duty military members had been bracing to miss their first paycheck today due to the government shutdown, but President Donald Trump said Saturday that the administration “identified funds” to pay military troops.
The funds for military paychecks will be pulled from the Pentagon’s research and development money that’s available for two years, according to a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The Pentagon said in a statement that it “has identified approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds” from the prior fiscal year that will be used to issue paychecks, as the shutdown is expected to drag on.
A growing bipartisan group of lawmakers unsuccessfully urged congressional leaders to pass a standalone measure to pay troops during the shutdown.
Some military families had already preemptively visited their local food pantries to stock up on groceries and supplies, a source told CNN.
CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi, Zachary Cohen and Haley Britzky contributed reporting.
Trump administration signals more federal layoffs and cuts are coming
Later this week, the Trump administration plans to release a list of federal programs that it is considering cutting during the shutdown, President Donald Trump said yesterday.
Today, there will be a hearing on the reductions in force — or RIFs.
Here’s a recap of what has happened so far:
- On October 2, the White House said the Office of Management and Budget was compiling a list of agencies it was targeting for federal layoffs.
- On October 10, Trump said he planned to fire “a lot” of federal workers in retaliation for the shutdown, vowing to target those deemed to be aligned with the Democratic Party. He did not elaborate on what he meant.
- That same day, the Trump administration pulled the trigger on layoffs across seven federal agencies. Another wave of layoffs could be coming, the administration said in a court filing.
- Yesterday, Trump said his administration is using the shutdown to permanently end federal programs championed by Democrats and that the programs are “never going to come back in many cases.”
- Also yesterday, the White House Office of Management and Budget said it would continue to “ride out” the shutdown with more RIFs, suggesting the Trump administration plans to continue laying off federal workers.
Food assistance program receives $300 million to continue operating during shutdown
The WIC food assistance program has received a $300 million lifeline to keep operating for a few more weeks during the government shutdown, according to a source familiar with the funding transfer.
The money comes from leftover tariff revenue from the past fiscal year that typically is used to fund child nutrition programs. The US Department of Agriculture told congressional staffers last week about the transfer, according to the source.
WIC, which provides food assistance and services to nearly 7 million pregnant women, new mothers and young children, had been in danger of running out of money by the middle of the month. But the Trump administration announced last week that it would shift tariff revenue to the program.
The infusion should be enough to keep WIC afloat for the rest of the month, said Ali Hard, policy director at the National WIC Association. But if the shutdown continues into November, the benefits could once again be at risk.
Still, Mississippi has taken the unusual step of instituting a wait list, prioritizing pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and high-risk infants for benefits, according to the state Department of Health.
At least two Native American tribes have also set up wait lists, according to a source familiar with the program.
Here's what's on the schedule for Trump and Congress today
This is what President Donald Trump’s day looks like, so far:
- 3 p.m. ET: Trump holds a press event with FBI Director Kash Patel from the Oval Office.
- 7:30 p.m. ET: Trump hosts a ballroom dinner from the East Room.
We’ll let you know if we get more details.
And, over in Congress:
- 10 a.m. ET: The Senate meets. The House is not in session.
- 10 a.m. ET: House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with House GOP leadership, holds a news conference.
- 11:30 a.m. ET: Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and members of the House Democratic Caucus speak to reporters.
Democrats and Republican lawmakers are dug in on shutdown positions. Here's what they have been saying
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries affirmed top Democrats won’t change their position in the standoff over enhanced Obamacare subsidies — despite the GOP’s unwillingness to budge.
Here’s what lawmakers have said this week:
- Jeffries said that he supports a “meaningful extension of the Affordable Care Act” and that he’s “happy to entertain any reasonable proposal that’s put forward. There has not been one.” He said he’s against a one-year extension of the subsidies as part of an agreement to reopen the government.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate will likely wrap up voting for the week tomorrow if there is no progress toward reopening the government.
- Senate Democrats — except Sens. John Fetterman and Catherine Cortez Masto, as well as independent Sen. Angus King who caucuses with the party — have voted eight times to block Republicans’ stopgap bill.
- Speaker Mike Johnson said, “I don’t have a strategy,” when asked by CNN if he needs to change his position of not engaging with Democrats on health care issues until they pass a stopgap funding bill. He said he doesn’t have “anything to negotiate” with Democrats when it comes to the House-passed stopgap bill.
How to watch the CNN town hall with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tonight
Progressive lawmakers Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will take questions tonight from a live audience at a CNN town hall.
The event will be moderated by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins from Washington, DC, as the government shutdown is in its second week.
The audience will be comprised of Democrats, Republicans, independents and those who have been directly impacted by the shutdown. CNN extended an invitation to Republican leaders to join for a town hall as well and the invitation stands, the network said.
Here’s how to watch:
- The town hall will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps.
- It will also be available on demand beginning October 16 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms.
