The first day of the U.S. government shutdown saw the Senate failing for a third time to advance a funding bill that could have restored normal operations, and a freeze placed on $18 billion in infrastructure projects in the hometown of Congress’ top two Democrats.
The two projects identified for the hold by President Donald Trump’s top budget official — New York’s Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Avenue Subway — led to speculation about selective targeting against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Wednesday also brought word that federal worker layoffs would start to take place in two days. That came during a House Republican conference with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said essentially the same, earlier in the day, calling the firings “imminent.”
Details of how many federal workers are about to be cut permanently, or any geographical breakdowns, remained elusive. Congressional auditors have separately estimated that roughly 750,000 other federal employees could be furloughed — not fired but kept from their jobs — each day of a shutdown.
By Wednesday’s end, there was still only speculation about how long this funding impasse between congressional Republicans and Demcrats — and thus the shutdown — would last. But there were some hopeful quips here and there.
Vice President JD Vance predicted at one point in a briefing that he didn’t think it would be that long. And a handful of rank-and-file Senate moderates from both parties were talking about a potential compromise.
But this shutdown will last at least three days — no matter what. The House remains out, as it has been all week. And due to the observance of Yom Kippur, the Senate is not holding any more votes until Friday, at the earliest.
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