12:30 Report is The Hill’s midday newsletter. Subscribe here.
It’s Wednesday. Happy October, folks! 🎃
In today’s issue:
- — Senate dives into daily funding votes
- — GOP dubs impasse ‘Schumer Shutdown’
- — Supreme Court to hear Lisa Cook case
- — Pope Leo speaks up on US politics
- — Elon Musk reveals his next project
🛑 GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Did you try unplugging it and plugging it back in …?:
The federal government is officially shut down, and there’s no sign it will reopen anytime soon. Congressional leaders are being reminded today that it’s much easier to get into a shutdown than to get out of one.
Where things stand: Democratic and Republican leaders held competing news conferences this morning, followed by more failed funding votes in the Senate. The House is still out of town but is set to return next week. Senate Republicans are planning to hold daily votes, including during the weekend (except on Thursday, which is Yom Kippur).
🔴 GOP’s messaging today: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told Democrats this morning there’s “no way out” other than passing their bill. Several in GOP leadership have dubbed the impasse the “Schumer Shutdown,” pegging Democrats as “radical.”
🔵 Democrats’ messaging today: Democratic lawmakers have leaned into their claim that Republicans are responsible for the shutdown for not agreeing to their demands on extending health care premium tax credits as part of a funding stopgap.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) gave a floor speech today, arguing the shutdown is Republicans’ doing “because Republicans refuse to negotiate a bipartisan bill that deals with the health care needs of the American people.”
How might this end?: Well, it depends on who folds first. The last shutdown in early 2019 ended when Trump dropped his demand for border wall funding. (Plus, nearly a dozen air traffic controllers stayed home and temporarily shut down some air travel. But it took more than a month to get to that point.)
Fast-forward to today, and U.S. airlines are again warning of potential flight delays, while Democrats are arguing it’s up to Trump to end the shutdown. This time, however, Democrats are the ones in a position demanding something — health provisions.
If five more Democrats vote with Republicans, it would end the shutdown. Three Democrats already broke with their party on Tuesday, voting “yes” on the House GOP bill to extend government funding.
➤ WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN:
How many workers are furloughed?: 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought is expected to brief House Republicans at 1 p.m. on furloughs and closures, per Punchbowl.
🟩 What services will continue?:
• Social Security payments
• Veterans benefits
• Disaster aid
• Medicare and Medicaid payouts
• The U.S. Postal Service will remain open.
• National parks will largely remain open. (!!)
• Air traffic controllers and TSA agents will work.
🟥 What services may be interrupted?:
• Economic data will be halted, including Friday’s monthly jobs report.
• Federal grants issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• Clinical trials run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Student aid applications and loan disbursements — borrowers are still expected to make payments, though.
• Tours of the White House, U.S. Capitol, etc.
• Federal gun permits
🟨 What services are in between?:
• The Smithsonian announced it could keep museums open until at least Monday using old funds.
• Food assistance benefits will continue for now but could be disrupted depending on how long the shutdown lasts.
Who gets the bad end of the deal?: Government contractors. Federal employees will receive back pay, but government contractors will not.
➤ TIDBITS FROM THE SHUTDOWN:
Spotted in the U.S. Capitol: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) giving a tour to a group of students (h/t The Hill’s Emily Brooks)
Free pastries for furloughed workers: Compass Coffee is giving free pastries to federal workers with the purchase of any drink.
📸 The Senate gift shop is closed
Some federal employees received a ‘highly inappropriate’ email: Federal employees at several agencies received emails on Tuesday blaming Democrats for the shutdown. Read more about the email
📸 There was a fiery sunset at the U.S. Capitol last night
➤ A FEW THINGS ARE CLEAR SO FAR:
• Democratic leaders are under enormous pressure from their base.
• Republicans have little incentive to bend.
• Trump seems willing to slash workers.
Read more takeaways, via The Hill’s Niall Stanage
➤ MORE SHUTDOWN READS:
The Hill’s Morning Report newsletter: 5 questions hanging over the shutdown
The Atlantic: How Democrats Backed Themselves Into a Shutdown
The Wall Street Journal: The Health Insurance Subsidies at the Center of the Government Shutdown Fight
The Washington Post: Congressional Democrats embrace government shutdown, a risky move
Politico: Trump shields immigration and trade from shutdown fallout
🏛️ NEW THIS MORNING
Lisa Cook can stay … for now:
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear President Trump’s case in January to fire Federal Reserve board of governors member Lisa Cook. In the meantime, the court will allow Cook to stay in her role.
By the way: The Supreme Court’s order was just two sentences long and did not explain its reasoning. But The Hill’s court reporters Ella Lee and Zach Schonfeld note this is not unusual.
Trump paused NYC infrastructure projects over DEI:
“The Trump administration announced Wednesday it was pausing federal funding for infrastructure projects in New York City, citing concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies,” reports The Hill’s Brett Samuels.
OMB Director Russell Vought posted on X: “Roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles.”
He later followed up to specify “the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway.”
⛪ GETTING TRACTION
Pope Leo steps into US politics:
Pope Leo XIV weighed in on the abortion debate on Tuesday, criticizing supporters of the “inhuman treatment of immigrants” and the death penalty as not being “pro-life.”
The pope told reporters: “Someone who says, ‘I’m against abortion,’ but says ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty,’ is not really pro-life,” the pope said, via EWTN News. “Someone who says that, ‘I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.” 📹 Watch the pope’s comments
How this came up: Leo was asked to weigh in on a Catholic award to honor Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). 10 American bishops criticized the decision, citing Durbin’s support for legalized abortion.
➤ THE POPE ALSO HAS THINGS TO SAY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE:
Leo gives his first address on climate change today at Castel Gandolfo, per The New York Times. 💻 Watch
➤ QUICK HITS:
— A New York City apartment building partially collapsed this morning due to a gas explosion.
— Turning Point USA returned to Utah on Tuesday for the first time since co-founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
— Late-night comedian Stephen Colbert gave his first interview since his show’s cancellation was announced. Who got the first interview? Jimmy Kimmel.
➤ MORE READS:
The New York Times: Gaza City Exodus Is Overwhelming Relief Efforts, Aid Agencies Say
The Washington Post: Hegseth wants to return the military to 1990 — a dark time in its history
The Wall Street Journal: Student-Loan Debt Is Strangling Gen X
COMING UP
The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EST)
1 p.m. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream
4:30 p.m. Trump signs executive orders.
🐝 INTERNET BUZZ
🎃 Celebrate: Today is National Pumpkin Spice Day!
📕 Elon Musk’s next project : Tech billionaire Elon Musk says he is creating an alternative to Wikipedia, dubbed “Grokipedia.”
👗 When you think about people who wear Tuckernuck, what political leanings would you expect?: The Cut’s Danya Issawi writes how the preppy clothing brand Tuckernuck is wooing women on both sides of the aisle. Do you think of it as more Cape Cod coded or MAGA-coded?
🐻 Proud of you, Chunk!: Chunk, the 1,200-pound bear with a broken jaw, won this year’s Fat Bear Week.
👋 AND FINALLY…
To leave you with a smile, watch this justification for getting multiple dogs. I truly cannot argue with this logic.
