The U.S. government shut down Wednesday, putting hundreds of thousands of federal workers at risk of losing pay.
About 750,000 federal employees are expected to be furloughed each day, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Hundreds of thousands more are required to keep working without pay until funding resumes, based on federal agency estimates, including essential staff like air traffic controllers and border patrol agents.
The shutdown was triggered early Wednesday after the Senate failed to pass a short-term funding bill. The measure, which would have kept the government open through Nov. 20, fell short in a 55-45 vote, below the 60 needed.
All but two Democratic senators opposed the bill. Led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Democrats have been pushing for an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and the reversal of about $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts included in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
In turn, Trump and Vice President J.D Vance have threatened permanent job cuts. Last week, the Office of Management and Budget sent a memo directing federal agencies to prepare layoff plans for programs “not consistent with the president’s priorities” if funding lapses, according to the memo published by PBS.
