SHUTDOWN LATEST: As government reopening nears, Supreme Court upholds SNAP blockage ruling

Just a day after the Senate voted to end the government shutdown, pushing a bill to House, the Supreme Court has extended its ruling allowing for a blockage of SNAP payments.

Right now, the USDA has authorized states to only issue partial SNAP benefits at 65% of the normal monthly allotment.

Reopening the government would restart the program that helps 42 million Americans buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume. The timeline will vary by state, depending on how long it takes to update their systems, which could be days or even weeks.

Read more.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, was one of eight senators who voted to allow the Senate to move forward on compromise legislation that would reopen the government, facing instant blowback from other members of their own party.

For Kaine, the deciding factor was language in the funding bill that prevents President Donald Trump’s administration from conducting more mass layoffs, an issue that disproportionately affects Virginians.

Kaine was one of the last Democrats to join the group willing to vote to advance the bill.

It leaves out an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, the top priority Democrats are negotiating for in a shutdown deal, and settles for a pledge from Senate Republicans to hold a vote in December on the health subsidies.

Read the full story from The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning. All three of D.C.’s local airports — BWI Marshall, Reagan National and Dulles International — are on the list of airports that will see a reduction of flights.

While the FAA order left some passengers scrambling to figure out backup plans, most were relieved to find their planes still on schedule as airlines slowly phase in reductions at the nation’s busiest airports.

Aside from that, President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the Supreme Court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund, and instead allow it to continue with planned partial SNAP payments for the month. That decision was asked to be made by 9:30 p.m. Friday.

Prince George’s County is partnering with “100 Black Men of Prince George’s,” a local nonprofit, to establish a $1 million relief fund for federal workers affected by the federal shutdown.

Workers who have been furloughed or laid off can apply on the nonprofit’s website, and those eligible will receive a one-time payment of $1,000.

To qualify, federal workers must reside in specific areas of the county, including Oxon Hill, Fort Washington, Camp Springs and Temple Hills. They must also submit proof of government employment and residency.

$800,000 of the funds will come from the MGM National Harbor casino, with the rest coming from a grant fund established by the Prince George’s County Council.

“While we cannot solve every challenge brought by federal workforce cuts, we can ensure that our neighbors know their local government stands with them in solidarity and action,” Council Chair Ed Burroughs III said.

Applications must be received before Nov. 21.

Democrats scored major victories in elections down the East Coast Tuesday, including in Virginia.

Many politicians and analysts have agreed that the federal government shutdown motivated voters in the commonwealth.

Gov. Wes Moore talked with WTOP about the election results and how the shutdown is impacting Marylanders.

Read and listen to the full interview on WTOP.

The Alexandria Film Festival will be offering federal workers impacted by the government shutdown complimentary tickets to see films between Nov. 7-9.

The complimentary tickets are in effect for on-site, box office sales only.

Government employees must present their government ID to receive one ticket to the festival.

“AFF is proud to stand with other arts organizations in the region in supporting our friends and neighbors who have been impacted by the shutdown,” said Jill Ray, chair of the festival.

“We believe the arts help build community, foster social cohesion and drive local change. It’s incredibly important the festival remains as inclusive and accessible as possible.”

There will be more than 60 films at the 19th annual Alexandria Film Festival with half of the films being made and directed from local filmmakers.

The full program is available on the festival’s website.

Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown.

Read the story from The Associated Press.

The Archbishop of Baltimore said the church is providing help to those impacted by the government shutdown through meals, housing and other support.

“I encourage anyone in need to reach out to these ministries without hesitation,” Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore wrote in a news release. “No one should face this hardship alone.”

According to a news release from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, some of the help available in Maryland includes:

• Catholic Charities of Baltimore — food assistance, emergency housing, family services and counseling support. For details, visit Catholic Charities of Baltimore Serving Our Communities  or call 410-600-2000.
• The St. Vincent de Paul Society — offers direct assistance for rent, utilities and daily essentials at parishes. One program offers breakfast and hot lunch Monday through Friday. For more information, visit St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore or call 410-662-0500.
• Anyone who needs groceries or a meal can visit parish food pantries and access community outreach and assistance programs. To find a parish near you, visit the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website.
• Mental health and counseling services are also available to those in need. Those services are provided through Catholic Charities and the diocese’s partners. For more information, head to the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website.

The nation’s largest union representing federal workers is calling on lawmakers to pass a short-term spending bill to reopen the federal government, as the shutdown enters its 27th day.

In a statement on Monday, the American Federation of Government Employees urged Senate Democrats to join Republicans in reopening the government immediately “under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.”

“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” AFGE president Everett Kelley said. “Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today.”

AFGE represents 820,000 government workers.

Tensions between congressional Republicans and Democrats have only intensified since the shutdown began on Oct. 1.

“It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government,” Kelley said. “A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.”

Read the union’s statement on its website.

With the federal shutdown closing out its third week, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday declared a state of emergency to provide food assistance for Virginians, warning that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could run out starting Nov. 1.

Youngkin said the declaration will allow the state to tap emergency funds to help roughly 850,000 Virginians who rely on SNAP, commonly known as food stamps.

Youngkin said the emergency order authorizes the use of state funds “to protect the health, welfare and safety of Virginians” until federal benefits are restored.

SNAP benefits are federally funded, and during past shutdowns, states have sometimes used short-term reserves to maintain benefits. The Virginia Department of Social Services said it is working to determine how long state resources could sustain food assistance if the federal impasse continues.

Loudoun United, one of Virginia’s professional sports teams, is offering federal workers affected by the government shutdown tickets to enjoy its final match of the regular season.

In a letter posted on social media, the Virginia club said federal workers can receive up to four free tickets to Saturday’s match against North Carolina FC at Segra Field at 5 p.m.

Those interested can claim their tickets by filling out a form online while supplies last.

Under new controlling ownership, Loudoun United recently qualified for the United Soccer League Championship playoffs for the first time in club history.

For more discounts and freebies for furloughed government workers, check out WTOP’s list here.

Maryland will provide free MARC train and Commuter Bus service to federal workers for the duration of the government shutdown, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has announced.

Anyone with a federal ID badge can ride for free by showing their badge to the operator.

The governor made the announcement Friday while at a resource fair in Howard County, where state and local agencies were administering resources for federal workers.

Read more here. 

The federal shutdown is officially reaching the highest court in the U.S. as the Supreme Court announces it may run out of funding by Oct. 18 because of the government shutdown.

In a statement to WTOP, Patricia McCabe, chief of the court’s Public Information Office, said the court “expects to run out of funding on October 18,” and that “if new appropriated funds do not become available, the Court will make changes in its operations.”

The funding crunch means the Supreme Court Building “will be closed to the public until further notice,” the statement reads. “The Building will remain open for official business. The Supreme Court will continue to conduct essential work such as hearing oral arguments, issuing orders and opinions, processing case filings, and providing police and building support needed for those operations.”

There will be no tricks or treats this year at the National Zoo.

The government shutdown has led the Smithsonian to close the National Zoo and cancel ‘Boo at the Zoo,’ just days before the beloved event was expected to welcome families for Halloween fun.

This weekend’s spooky celebration was called off, and the zoo will continue to be closed to visitors until Congress comes to an agreement on funding the federal government, according to an update from the National Zoo posted to its website.

Night of the Living Zoo, which is catered to adults, has not been canceled yet. The Halloween party is planned for next weekend, Oct. 24 and 25, and includes a cocktail bar, food tricks and “Zoostrology” readings.

That’s in contrast to Boo at the Zoo, which is an annual, family-friendly event with trick-or-treat stations sprinkled throughout the zoo for kids to collect candy and check out the animals. People with tickets were given the option to donate the cost of their admission to fund animal conservation efforts.

As the government shutdown enters its third week, celebrity chef José Andrés is offering free lunches to federal workers at four of his D.C. restaurants.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by José Andrés’ Team (@joseandresgroup)

From 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday during the shutdown, workers can dine-in and grab a free lunch item at Jaleo, China Chilcano, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana or Zaytinya.

“We have always believed that good food can bring people together, especially in challenging times,” the José Andrés Group wrote in an Instagram post Monday. “Being in the heart of downtown DC, we’re proud to serve so many Federal employees who stop by our restaurants for lunch and we want to keep that going!”

All you need to do is show your government ID and choose a sandwich at Jaleo, a donburi at China Chilcano, a durum or pita at Zaytinya or a torta at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana.

“We’ve always believed in serving our community with open arms and good food—no shutdown can stop that,” the Instagram post said.

For more discounts and freebies for furloughed government workers, check out WTOP’s list here.

The Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, which stayed open for 11 days using leftover funds, is now shut down.

Due to the government shutdown, Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with our research centers and the National Zoo.

We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other… pic.twitter.com/qdWi8gSGmY

— Smithsonian (@smithsonian) October 10, 2025

The zoo is closed to the public. Even the panda cam now reads “offline.” 

There’s several special events coming up at the zoo — including Boo at the Zoo, Night of the Living Zoo and a chance to do yoga with the gibbons. The Smithsonian says if the shutdown continues and the event is canceled, you’ll get an automatic refund. If you wish to, you could convert your ticket to a donation in support of animal conservation online.

Visitors trying to get one last peek at their favorite animals told WTOP on Saturday they hope a resolution will occur to reopen the zoo.

The zoo, which receives federal funding, said, while it’s closed, its care for the animals will continue uninterrupted and the shutdown does not affect its commitment to the animals. For updates on the zoo’s operating status, visit its website.

The Smithsonian said it does not plan to update its social media, except to inform you of changes to operating status. Its digital resources will continue to be available on its website.

The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started, an attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown dragged into a 10th day, The Associated Press reported.

Leaders in the D.C. region, where hundreds of thousands of federal workers live, have decried the move.

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said the 260,000 federal workers who call Maryland home are “paying the highest price.”

“These are dedicated public servants who devote their careers to keeping our food safe, maintaining public health, and ensuring our seniors, veterans, and children receive the support they need,” Moore said in a statement.

Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat running for governor in Virginia, criticized President Donald Trump, saying he is “recklessly escalating this chaos by unleashing mass firings on Virginia’s federal workers.”

Oye Owolewa, D.C.’s shadow representative, said people’s livelihoods were being used as “political bargaining chips.”

“These employees have families to support, rent and bills to pay, and children to feed,” Owolewa said.

Lace up your running shoes and lay out your running clothes just as you planned to do Sunday if you signed up for the Army Ten-Miler. Organizers said Thursday that the race will go on as planned despite the shutdown.

Some parts of the race go through federal property and there were concerns earlier this week whether the race will go on as originally planned.

Here are some road closures surrounding the race course.

Local politicians are reacting to President Donald Trump administration’s threats over back pay for federal workers following the government shutdown.

Earlier this week, Trump warned that back pay isn’t guaranteed to federal workers when the government reopens, which would divert from the long-standing practice of repaying employees following a shutdown.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland released a statement Tuesday that said federal employees are legally entitled to backpay. Van Hollen cited the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which he worked on and Trump signed into law in 2019.

“The law is the law. After the uncertainty federal employees faced in the 2019 Trump Shameful Shutdown, Senator Cardin and I worked to ensure federal employees would receive guaranteed back pay for any future shutdowns. That legislation was signed into law — and there is nothing this Administration can do to change that,” Van Hollen wrote.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger also released a statement following Trump’s comments.

“President Trump is punishing Virginians for his own refusal to work in good faith to end this shutdown. Withholding backpay would do nothing to strengthen our country — and would be a further attack on Virginians’ livelihoods,” Spanberger wrote.

Spanberger is running for governor in Virginia against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears. WTOP has reached out to the Republican nominee’s campaign to request comment but did not receive a response immediately.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he hadn’t fully read the memo but “there are some legal analysts who are saying” that it may not be necessary or appropriate to repay the federal workers, The Associated Press reported.

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton said in a statement Tuesday that she plans to introduce a bill that would reopen the National Planning Commission as well as the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts.

The bill would also exempt them from future shutdowns, since they “play a significant role in D.C. land-use decisions.”

“While it is unfair that many of D.C.’s local land use issues are dictated by federal agencies, it adds insult to injury that these strictly local decisions are delayed and interrupted during federal government shutdowns,” Norton said in the statement.

“Congress should also pass my National Capital Planning Commission District of Columbia Home Rule Act and my Commission of Fine Arts District of Columbia Home Rule Act to give D.C. greater autonomy over its land use policies.”

This weekend’s two-day Taste of NoVA food and drink festival is relocating from the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir to Prince William County due to the federal government shutdown.

Northern Virginia Magazine’s signature event will be held at the NOVA LIVE campus near Manassas Saturday and Sunday, according to a news release from Prince William County Economic Development.

Read more by InsideNova here.

Fairfax County residents have until Nov. 5 to pay their car tax. The county board of supervisors approved an extension to pay personal property tax.

“We understand that many county residents experience financial challenges, including furloughs and job loss,” the county said.

Read more by WTOP’s Scott Gelman here. 

The General Services Administration is furloughing employees who are typically “exempt” from a government shutdown, because much of the agency isn’t funded through congressional appropriations.

GSA employees told Federal News Network these furloughs are happening contrary to the agency’s recent messages to staff, and run contrary to the agency’s longstanding practices during a shutdown.

Meanwhile, GSA has inadvertently sent notices to employees it laid off months ago, telling them that they are exempt and should continue working during the shutdown. A similar situation occurred in at least one other agency.

Read the full story from Federal News Network.

It’s day four of the government shutdown, and the impasse between congressional Republicans and Democrats shows no sign of ending.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has canceled sessions for next week, with lawmakers in the lower chamber not expected to meet again until Oct. 16.

Listen to the latest breakdown of the government shutdown from WTOP’s Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller.

Smithsonian museums, research centers and the National Zoo will use prior-year funds to remain open during the government shutdown through Oct. 11, extending operations by five days before closing to the public.

Federal workers, many of whom have already been furloughed during the ongoing government shutdown, are also facing the threat of layoffs from President Donald Trump and his administration.

Those furloughs and potential layoffs are having an acute effect on the D.C. region, where hundreds of thousands of federal employees call home.

In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore told WTOP the shutdown is already having a “staggering impact” on the state.

Listen to the full conversation with WTOP’s Anne Kramer and Shawn Anderson below.

The potential for a prolonged shutdown has food banks on high alert for a potential spike in the D.C. area.

The 2018 shutdown resulted in local federal workers going more than a month without pay, forcing residents to prioritize the basics, including mortgage payments, utility bills and food.

Meg Kimmel, president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank, told WTOP that in the last shutdown, there was a lot of need in specific sections of Maryland.

“We were able to understand where a group of people or families might be located and they’re no longer working because of the shutdown,” Kimmel said. “People are going to be making sure that we know what’s going on, and then we can be a hub for making sure that solution, in the shape of food and also other resources, is getting out to the areas and to the groups of people that need it most.”

Listen to Kimmel’s interview with WTOP’s Michelle Basch and John Aaron below.

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The government may have shut down, but people still need to get to work. Metro commuters told WTOP that, so far, the impact has been minimal.

At the East Falls Church Metro station in Virginia, one employee was headed to the Navy Yard.

“It’s not been any different, in my opinion. I mean, still have some of the same crowd out here that I’m used to seeing,” he said.

A student on her way to Foggy Bottom told WTOP: “Nothing’s truly affected me my commute as of yet, but not sure what the future looks like.”

“I love the bustling, diverse D.C., so it’s really unfortunate, but it would be great to get it back to the bustling city that we know.”

The vibe from riders at the East Falls Church Metro station on the shutdown: Wait and see.

“I’m hoping there will be no change. But of course, there’s no certainty,” another commuter told WTOP.

One said they’d seen the trains at the Virginia station actually become more full.

Still, for those working downtown, maybe the lines will be shorter at coffee shops or restaurants.

“I generally stay at the office. Once I get downtown. I don’t meander about, but the crowds looked about the same, To be honest,” one federal worker said.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.

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The District of Colombia Coffee Company truck parks near the National Mall on Maryland Avenue SW. It’s open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“We import all our specialty coffee directly from Colombia,” owner William Muhammad said. “We have the good stuff. Most people get the lattes.”

The coffee truck started in November 2023, which means this is Muhammad’s first government shutdown as a business owner. He estimates they served about 60 customers Wednesday morning, when they usually see almost 80 customers during the morning rush. It’s a small downtick in business right now, but he expects it will get worse the longer the government shutdown stretches on.

“I’m feeling optimistic. I’m feeling hopeful,” Muhammad said. “It’s hard. It’s not easy. But you’ve got to keep pushing. It’s called perseverance.”

Italian restaurant Carmine’s on 7th Street NW has been in D.C. for about 15 years, so the restaurant has been through this before. CEO Jeff Bank said the restaurant is offering everyone a place to commiserate — happy hour is available all day until the shutdown ends.

“For people just to have a place to hang their hat and have a drink and a meatball and sit and talk with other people in this situation,” Bank said. “Hopefully, this one goes quick, but I don’t know. We live in some weird times.”

Carmine’s also came up with special cocktails called “The Essential Worker” and the “Here We Go Again.” Bank said lunch is quieter at the restaurant and the shutdown impacts the private parties they usually host, such as political fundraisers.

“As a business owner, I’m tired. It’s literally the definition of the “Here We Go Again” drink,” Bank said. “I cannot believe the only way our government moves forward is to hold the employees and constituents hostage. It’s just unbelievable.”

Several area lawmakers have issued statements on the government shutdown and its affect on the Washington region.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said in his statement that the shutdown is “disappointing, unfortunately unsurprising, and ultimately avoidable,” and added that the District’s government is funded and will continue to function.

“While the shutdown will undoubtedly impact some District residents employed by the federal government, local services will not be affected. We may also see some cutback in federal services and that will also affect District residents,” Mendelson said.

U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia’s 10th District announced that he will turn down his pay during the federal shutdown, in support of federal workers and contractors.

“While Republicans force this shutdown and federal workers and contractors go without pay, I will not accept a paycheck and will continue to stand up for the men and women who protect our communities,” Subramanyam said in a statement. 

U.S. Rep James Walkinshaw of Virginia’s 11th District criticized the administration’s push to fire federal workers during the shutdown in an op-ed.

“There is no statute, appropriation or constitutional clause that gives an administration license to fire federal civilian employees simply because funding has lapsed.” Walkinshaw said. “When Congress fails to enact a continuing resolution or full-year funding, federal agencies are constrained by appropriations law, not presidential whim.”

D.C. shadow representative Oye Owolewa said the shutdown is a “reckless failure of leadership” and that American people are paying the price.

“Let’s be clear: a government shutdown is a choice. It is a deliberate act of putting politics before people, brinkmanship before responsibility, and personal power before public service,” Owolewa said.

U.S. Rep Sarah Elfreth of Maryland’s 3rd District said she was “deeply disappointed” with the Republicans who control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

“More than 190,000 Marylanders are paying less for their health coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits — 23,000 of whom live in Maryland’s Third District. These tax credits are set to expire, and the Republican government funding bill does nothing to continue this critical program,” Elfreth said. 

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The Office of Personnel Management has issued a memo with guidance around pay, reduction in force notices, and federal shutdown activities, said Federal News Network “Federal Drive” host Terry Gerton.

The memo, directed to human resources personnel, authorizes four hours of orderly federal shutdown activities, allowing workers to close out accounts, receive furlough notices and access IT supplies.

Gerton said that part of the orderly shutdown includes processing payroll, implying that federal workers will receive pay for the period of Sept. 21 to Sept. 30, which will be paid for with last year’s budget. Federal workers should receive this pay in October.

Additionally, the memo provides more clarity on reductions in force (RIF) notices. If a federal worker receives a RIF during the shutdown, it will not go into effect for 60 days.

Gerton added that furlough notices will go out today as part of the shutdown process. These notices will clarify if workers are exempt from the shutdown, where they will continue to be paid with funds that didn’t lapse, excepted from the shutdown, where they will continue to work without pay until the lapse in funding ends, or furloughed, where they won’t work nor be paid until the end of the shutdown. Workers who aren’t paid will receive back pay when the government resumes.

“Plan carefully, manage your cash flow carefully, think about emergency resources in your community,” Gerton said.

Maryland Democratic Congressman Glenn Ivey told WTOP on Wednesday that health care is a key point of concern when it comes to the government shutdown.

“The $1 trillion cuts in Medicaid, I think, has been a big part of the concern that’s been generated, certainly by the American people, Ivey said.

“And the other part is the expiration of the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. So for some people, they’re going to see their premiums jump in some instances, maybe even double over the next few months. So those are two big things that House Democrats and Senate Democrats have focused on trying to fix, and that’s been the impasse.”

He said he’d been hearing from constituents ever since President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed — “or big ugly bill, from my perspective.”

Ivey will host a livestream discussion about the impact of the shutdown on his constituents on Wednesday afternoon.

Listen to Ivey’s interview with Michelle Basch and John Aaron below.

At airports across the country, travelers are weighing the uncertainty brought on by the ongoing government shutdown.

Some at Dulles International Airport in Virginia said they were relieved flights were still running smoothly, but worried about what could happen if the shutdown stretches on.

“It’s always a concern whether it’s going to affect travel,” one passenger said while waiting for a connecting flight.

“So far, things seem to be going all right, but you never know. I feel for those who are in furlough or shut down, because I know it affects a lot of people.”

Reuters reported Tuesday that more than 11,000 employees at the Federal Aviation Administration would be furloughed during the shutdown. Air traffic controllers and security officers will be working without pay and other functions would be halted.

Others noted the shutdown could complicate plans beyond the airport.

A family headed to Teton and Yellowstone national parks said they were unsure whether their reservations inside the park would be honored.

“It’s our favorite place to go, and we’re still not really sure how this will affect us,” one traveler said.

Despite the uncertainty, many said they were determined to move forward with their trips. “I think we’ll just roll with it and see how things develop,” one passenger added.

Already diminished by cuts by the Trump administration, the U.S. Education Department will see more of its work come to a halt due to the government shutdown.

The department says many of its core operations will continue in the shutdown kicking off Wednesday. Federal financial aid will keep flowing, and student loan payments will still be due. But investigations into civil rights complaints will stop, and the department will not issue new federal grants. About 87% of its workforce will be furloughed, according to a department contingency plan.

Read the full story here.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.

Read the full story here.

Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.

The Senate rejected the legislation as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. The 55-45 vote on a bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation.

Read the full story here.

With a government shutdown just hours away, one of the key sticking points between Republicans and Democrats involves health care, specifically whether to extend premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

The debate centers on enhanced tax credits that help millions of Americans afford insurance through ACA marketplaces. These subsidies are currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2025, but Democrats are pushing for action now to avoid disruptions during the upcoming open enrollment period.

“Twenty-two million people across the country get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces,” said Anne Reid, policy director of the Funders Forum on Accountable Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

Read the full story.

The impact of the shutdown can be felt throughout the entire D.C. region, where thousands of federal workers, government contractors and military personnel live. From what’s open to what’s closed, here’s what you need to know.

The D.C. region is in a precarious position — a point that economic experts said is unlike any previous shutdown.

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this before. So no, this is in many respects unprecedented. We’re charting new territories,” said Terry Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University.

Clower pointed to a troubling convergence of factors: 18,000 federal jobs lost this year, a decline of 8,500 jobs in professional and business services and a sluggish tourism sector. These stressors, he said, make the region especially vulnerable.

“All of these things make this to where the impact of the shutdown will be felt more severely,” he said.

Read the full story.

Party leaders in Congress have long criticized government shutdowns as toxic and destructive. Time and time again, lawmakers hold out until just before the deadline and negotiate a last-minute compromise. History shows the tactic almost never works, and federal employees are caught in the middle.

Read a history of government shutdowns and how they ended from The Associated Press.