Government shutdown continues, federal employees facing furloughs

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The federal government remains shut down for a second day, with no breakthrough in sight as the Senate adjourned without reaching an agreement on a funding bill.

The shutdown is now expected to last at least through Friday, when lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Senate floor.

As a result, nearly 600,000 federal workers have already been furloughed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Wednesday that layoffs will be part of the ongoing shutdown.

“The president has directed his cabinet, and the Office of Management and Budget is working with agencies across the board to identify where cuts can be made,” Leavitt said.

“We believe that layoffs are imminent.”

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts confirmed federal courts will remain open and continue payroll operations through October 17, using a reserve of collected court fees. While criminal cases will move forward, civil matters may face delays.

Meanwhile, air travelers may also feel the effects of the shutdown. Commercial flights are continuing as scheduled, but staffing strains at TSA checkpoints and among air traffic controllers could lead to longer wait times and possible delays.

Among the hardest-hit agencies is the Environmental Protection Agency, which has furloughed 89% of its workforce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has furloughed 64% of its staff, though officials say disease outbreak monitoring will continue.

Vice President JD Vance struck an optimistic tone on the potential duration of the shutdown.

“I actually don’t think it’s going to be that long,” Vance said.

“This is a pure guess, but I think you’re already seeing some evidence that moderate Democrats are cracking a little bit. They understand the fundamental illogic of this.”

The last major government shutdown, which occurred from late 2018 to early 2019, lasted 35 days — the longest in U.S. history. The Congressional Budget Office later estimated the shutdown delayed $18 billion in federal spending and reduced the gross domestic product by $3 billion.

At the time, around 800,000 federal employees were impacted — roughly 340,000 furloughed, with the rest working without pay.