The federal government shut down on Wednesday, Oct. 1, after the Senate failed to pass a funding extension to keep the government open. Look back at how each day of the shutdown has unfolded.

Long Island

Politics

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Billy House

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&nbsp;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 Democrats — and thus the shutdown — would last. But there were some hopeful quips here and there. 
Vice President JD Vance predicted&nbsp;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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Here are some of the key developments on Wednesday, the first day of the federal government shutdown

Shutdown Day 1: How it unfolded

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WASHINGTON — The second day of the U.S. government’s shutdown offered little sign of a resolution, with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries saying direct communication remained non-existent with President Donald Trump and GOP congressional leaders. 
Trump was publicly adding to his threats of mass firings of federal workers. He made it clear in a social media post and elsewhere Thursday that if the shutdown continues, he and his lieutenants will be targeting some of the "many Democrat&nbsp;Agencies." 
There was a complete pause in legislative activity at the Capitol, with no votes in either chamber. The House has not been in session all week and the Senate did not convene for votes in honor of Yom Kippur. 
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Democrats will have another opportunity on Friday afternoon to join Republicans&nbsp;in voting for a clean, short-term bill to reopen the government. 
That would be a fourth Senate effort to advance that House-passed bill, legislation that could replenish the dried-up funding for shuttered agencies. Three early attempts failed to gain enough Democratic votes to move the bill, as required under that chamber’s rules. 
In an interview with NBC that aired Thursday night, Thune said senators likely would not hold votes over the weekend even if the bill fails to be advanced&nbsp;for a fourth time. That would extend&nbsp;the shutdown until at least Monday, when the House is scheduled to be back in Washington.

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Shutdown Day 2: Threats of mass government firings, no action in Congress

Shutdown Day 2: How it unfolded

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The U.S. government shutdown creeps into its first weekend after the Senate on Friday failed for a fourth time to find&nbsp;enough bipartisan votes to advance bills to replenish dried-up agency funding. 
There are now stronger signs the&nbsp;federal closure could be protracted.&nbsp;Speaker Mike Johnson even scrapped plans for House members – most of whom already have been away for two weeks -- to return next week to Washington for votes. 
Plans can change. But Johnson had said earlier Friday – the third day of the shutdown – that the House will be back in session when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) "allows us to reopen the government." That was a reference to Senate Democrats not lending enough votes to help advance a House-passed bill to provide agency funding for another seven weeks. 
President Donald Trump also made news with word that a massive cut to federal counterterrorism funding for police on Long Island and in New York City has been reversed. 
But the partisan funding battle that has centered mostly on Democratic demands to add healthcare provisions remained stuck in the mud. 
And in a complicated plotline twist, Schumer reacted to news the House wasn’t returning by saying, “Johnson and the House Republicans care more about protecting the Epstein files than protecting the American people.” 
That charge from Schumer and other Democrats is that Johnson is&nbsp;trying to stall the official swearing-in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.). He is doing that, the Democrats say, because Grijalva is expected to provide the final signature needed on a petition to force a House vote to compel the Trump administration to release files related Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex&nbsp;offender.

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Shutdown Day 3: Senate votes again, with the same outcome

Shutdown Day 3: How it unfolded

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WASHINGTON — White House economic advisers are warning that New York State could lose $1.2 billion of economic activity for each week the U.S. government remains shut down — or $5.3 billion per month. 
Unemployment in the state would jump by about 2,600 workers a month, according to an analysis by The Council of Economic Advisers, an agency that advises the president. A&nbsp;fact sheet also notes there are around 115,000 federal workers in New York, or about 1.2% of the state workforce, and most federal workers will be furloughed or required to work without pay. 
"CEA analysis indicates that a shutdown may have wide-ranging economic effects that reduce the prospects of New York constituents through lower growth, higher unemployment and disruptions to Social Security and nutritional support to women with infant children," the impact sheet states. 
Friday was the third day federal agencies have been shut down, and there remained no sign of any imminent reopening. Competing spending bills from Republicans and Democrats to restart funding for the government both failed to advance in the Senate, each for the fourth time. 
Asked for a response to the White House’s shutdown damage projection, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office pointed out the Trump administration announced this week it had frozen $18 billion in funding for two major infrastructure projects in New York City&nbsp;— which has potentially significant impacts on the city's economy, construction jobs&nbsp;and commuter transit. 
“The government remains closed,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) emphasized on the Senate floor earlier in the day, “because Donald Trump and Republicans insist on raising Americans’ health care premiums and kicking millions off their insurance.” 
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) accused Democrats of gambling with the economy to score points. 
"The president’s economic team is right — every week of a shutdown costs New York billions and puts thousands of jobs at risk," LaLota said. 
Other projected impacts of a prolonged shutdown on New York State listed by the council include: 
<ul> 
 <li>Funding reserves for the Women, Infants and Children program could run out by the end of the first week of the shutdown, becoming reliant on "very limited local contingency funding." In New York, there are approximately 438,000 WIC recipients who rely on the program for nutritional support for themselves and their children, the CEA states.</li> 
 <li>Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will continue through October but could be disrupted in a prolonged shutdown. In New York, there are around 2,963,000 total enrollees in SNAP, and an estimated 1,150,000 whom are children. ;</li> 
 <li>Social Security benefits are likely delayed for those that get their money by check instead of direct-deposit,&nbsp;the CEA states. In New York, there are approximately 25,600 seniors that receive their benefits by check.</li> 
 <li>Small businesses would face delays worth about $140 million under a monthlong shutdown of the federal government.</li> 
</ul> 
"Combining this with federal employees going unpaid, consumer spending from lost wages will fall by an estimated $1.2 billion in New York each month the government shut down extends," the document states.

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White House analysis: NYS economy will lose $1.2 billion each week of shutdown

Trump advisers: NYS economy to lose $1.2B weekly in shutdown

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Lorena Mongelli

Although student aid is not impacted by the government shutdown, some local college officials say they are concerned that any FAFSA system hiccups could go unaddressed without people available to help at the federal level. 
Students are encouraged to continue to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which opened to everyone for the 2026-27 academic year on Sept. 24 and was available to a limited number of students before that. Applications <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/fafsa-application-2026-27-jbwd97um">for 2025-26 remain open</a> until June 30, 2026. Borrowers should still pay their loans, but "processing of refunds and discharges could be delayed," <a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-10-01/government-lapse-appropriations-federal-student-aid-processing-and-customer-service-guidance">according to the U.S. Department of Education</a>. 
During the federal shutdown, no new grants are being awarded. Civil rights complaints also <a href="https://www.ed.gov/media/document/us-department-of-education-contingency-plan-lapse-fiscal-year-fy-2026-appropriations-508-112431.pdf">will not be reviewed</a>. 
"The Department will continue to disburse student aid such as Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student loans, and student loan borrowers will still be required to make payments on their outstanding student debt," according to a memo the Education Department posted online. 
Nick Prewett, assistant provost and executive director of financial aid at Stony Brook University, said if the FAFSA processing systems encountered glitches, as they had in the past, it would be difficult to find a timely resolution. 
"The only issue we have is, if we have any problems or any concerns, there's no one at the Department of Education for us to reach out to," Prewett said during a phone interview on Friday. 
At Hofstra University, Sandra Mervius, director of financial aid, said in an email that while funding to schools and students continued without interruption, "anything needing human support or assistance can and will be delayed, especially the longer the shutdown continues. We also do not know what the contingency plan is, should one of the systems experience an issue, for example, the FAFSA website." 
Adelphi University spokesperson Taylor Damian said in an email: "Longer shutdowns increase the risk of slower responsiveness from the Department of Education], with only a small fraction of staff on duty." 
Sarah Austin, policy analyst at the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said in an email she did not expect any system disruptions as a result of the shutdown. She said education officials in charge of Pell Grants and other assistance were keeping staffing at levels needed to keep programs running. 
"One area where we will see an impact related to student loans, is that according to Federal Student Aid (FSA), the processing of refunds and discharges of student loans could be delayed. Along with that, it is NASFAA’s understanding that income driven repayment (IDR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) application processing is paused during the shutdown," Austin said in the email. 
<a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/fafsa-federal-student-aid-long-island-m6nfkstv">Newsday reported in July</a> there was a 12% increase in the number of Long Island high school students applying for federal financial aid this past academic year. 
The FAFSA application rollout has experienced glitches in recent years, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Education

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Government shutdown's impact on student aid: What to know

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Joe Werkmeister

As two sides in Washington dig in on a stalemate&nbsp;to reopen the federal government, the ramifications for county governments won’t be drastic initially, county officials said. 
But an <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/federal-government-shutdown-donald-trump-congress-senate-qok8b0co" target="_blank">extended federal shutdown</a>, which began Wednesday after the Senate failed to <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/shutdown-key-issues-v8uz28km" target="_blank">pass a funding bill</a>, could begin to impact the local economy and dry up funding used for critical social services initiatives, officials said. 
"We are very concerned about this," Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, a Republican, said Friday at an unrelated news conference. "Government should operate. Government should not shut down. It's unfortunate that it's come to that and everybody has to play chicken." 
<h3>What immediate impact does the shutdown have on county governments?</h3> 
During the first few days of a shutdown, there's little direct impact on county governments. 
"We are monitoring this situation carefully, but on day [three]&nbsp;we don’t have a large impact," Romaine said. 
Suffolk Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer and chairman of the Budget &amp; Finance Committee, said the shutdown is not "directly affecting the operations of Suffolk County that I know of," while acknowledging it can be "hurtful" to some residents. 
Flotteron said he doesn’t envision the federal shutdown impacting Suffolk’s 2026 proposed budget, which is under review by legislators this month. 
A spokesman for Nassau County did not respond to questions about the shutdown's impact. 
<h3>How much federal money do Long Island counties receive?</h3> 
Nassau County receives hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid each year, totaling about 6% of its operating budget (it has $218 million in its budget this year), according to budget records. Most of that funding goes to Health and Human Services programs that provide health care, food and cash assistance. 
A spokesman for the county did not respond to questions about whether any of these programs were at risk of being cut.&nbsp;Questions sent to the Office of the Nassau County Comptroller related to SNAP benefits, emergency rental assistance and other programs funded through federal aid were referred to the Department of Social Services. The department’s commissioner did not respond Friday.&nbsp; 
Suffolk County’s 2026 recommended operating budget released in late September includes $274 million in federal aid, which accounts for 5% of total revenue. The county budgeted about $296 million in federal aid in 2025, according to budget records. 
"Any federal funding the county receives from grants is on a reimbursement basis," said Michael Martino, Romaine's spokesperson. "The county has sufficient cash reserves to cover expenses until funding resumes." 
<h3>What happens to SNAP benefits distributed by counties?</h3> 
The shutdown will not impact Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through October, according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Anyone seeking benefits can still apply. It remains unclear what happens to benefits in November if the shutdown persists, the agency said. 
The National Association of Counties in a Sept. 30 report titled "What Counties Need to Know When a Government Shutdown Happens," noted that counties responsible for administering programs like SNAP can be entitled to reimbursements through the state "once funding is enacted and made available." 
<h3>Can county governments provide additional assistance?</h3> 
Suffolk Legis. Samuel Gonzalez (D-Brentwood) said he believes there will be a ripple effect from the shutdown at the local level and believes the county can help. 
"We’re going to feel it, especially in my district," he said. 
Gonzalez said the county could suspend the gasoline and sales tax on clothing and footwear, reduce park entry fees and temporarily suspend the mortgage recording tax. 
Gonzalez said he’s concerned about federal funding to support seniors in his district. His office partners with Island Harvest, one of the largest food banks on Long Island, to host a monthly program where volunteers deliver 35-pound food boxes to about 6,000 seniors who earn $1,957 per month or less. The Senior Food Boxes are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Island Harvest distributes the boxes at 18 Suffolk sites and 13 in Nassau. 
Randi Shubin Dresner, CEO of Island Harvest, said the nonprofit has enough food for about two weeks, at which point it would typically reorder. But without anyone at USDA available to process orders, "this program will essentially end until this government opens back up again," she said. 
She added that the program is "very regulated" and can’t be backfilled with product from its warehouse. 
"Once again, the government expects that the nonprofit community is going to be able to pivot with no extra funding, no extra support, but our own creativity," she said. 
The nonprofit started a Hunger Relief Action Fund in wake of the federal shutdown. She said the nonprofit would accept additional funding from county or town governments. 
Romaine said the county is willing to support nonprofits as much as it can. 
"I've made it quite clear we can't make up for deficiencies in New York State or the federal government," he said. "I don't have the budget for that. I don't have the money for that." 
<h3>How have counties responded to prior shutdowns?</h3> 
During the shutdown that began in late 2018, former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and former Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, both Democrats, formed a bicounty working group to examine local impacts of the shutdown, <a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/long-island-government-shutdown-working-group-q93636" target="_blank">Newsday reported</a> &nbsp;at the time. The goal was to make a more streamlined process to help out-of-work federal employees and coordinate with charities and social services. 
Former Rep.&nbsp;Steve Israel, a Democrat &nbsp;who led the group, told Newsday the group met several times and compiled resources at the state, county and town levels. The 35-day shutdown, though, ended shortly after the group began meeting. 
"One of the things that we established on our first meeting was the fact that shutdowns in the political environment that we’re in were likely to be ongoing and recurring," he said. "And communities should have strategies to deal with them in the future." 
<h3>Could the shutdown impact the local economy for Long Island counties?</h3> 
A prolonged shutdown could lead to less consumer spending and less sales tax revenue for governments, Israel said.&nbsp;Most of&nbsp;Suffolk’s revenue is driven by sales tax, accounting for about 41% of revenue in the proposed 2026 budget. Sales tax also represents the largest portion for Nassau, totaling about 45% of major fund revenue. 
Israel said &nbsp;while he didn’t recall the 2018-19 shutdown seriously impacting local government offices, the longer a shutdown persists the greater chance for a "macro economic loss" that impacts counties and towns. 
Romaine said he also believes there will be an impact on the economy. 
Israel said based on his experience in the House Democratic leadership, the federal shutdowns "always get resolved because at a certain point both parties feel the heat."

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Federal shutdown: How will it impact county services on Long Island?

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John Asbury

Air travel is not expected to be immediately affected by the government shutdown, say federal agencies and travel experts, but if the government deadlock keeps going, it could&nbsp;lead to delays&nbsp;due to staffing issues. 
The majority of airport workers, including air traffic controllers and agents with the Transportation Security Administration are considered essential workers who must continue&nbsp;to staff airports during the government funding lapse, even if they are not being paid. But some are facing furloughs and absenteeism could escalate if the shutdown is prolonged, experts say.&nbsp; 
"As the Port Authority is self-sustaining, a government shutdown will not impact our ability to operate our own facilities, like the airport terminals," according to a statement by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "However, as we saw in 2018-19, a federal government shutdown will affect federal workers who are essential to the functioning of the Port Authority’s airports — including TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and air traffic controllers — which could result in delays and severe operating challenges at the airports." 
For now, airport officials said the shutdown has not yet led to any delayed or canceled flights at airports including Kennedy Airport, LaGuardia&nbsp; Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, all of which had&nbsp;record air traffic in August. 
Operations at MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma have not been affected and the airport is facing no shortage of air traffic controllers or TSA agents, said MacArthur Airport Commissioner Rob Schneider. 
 MacArthur did not expect any canceled or delayed flights as a result of the shutdown, but Schneider said in an email, "We encourage passengers to arrive a bit earlier for flights to account for possible slower than normal screening at the TSA checkpoint." 
The Federal Aviation Administration and the air traffic controllers union entered into an agreement last month for the shutdown to determine excepted employees and government furloughs. "Employees not on furlough are obligated to report to work," the union said. 
The union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, posted a warning on their website that says: "NATCA does not endorse, support, or condone any federal employees participating in or endorsing a coordinated activity that negatively affects the capacity of the NAS, or any other activities that undermine the professional image and reputation of the people we represent." 
Katy Nastro, a travel expert based on Long Island, with the flight price-tracking app Going, said travelers should not face immediate delays. But she said past shutdowns have led to sick outs of unpaid federal workers, which can lead to delays or temporary flight stoppages. The last government shutdown in 2018 lasted 35 days. 
"Long lines could occur the longer this continues. Anyone with domestic or international travel in the next week should be OK, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare for the unexpected," Nastro said. "If goes on for awhile, there could be real scenarios where people may have to&nbsp;rethink their travel plans."&nbsp; 
The TSA posted on social media that 61,000 of the agency’s 64,000 employees are considered exempt from the shutdown. The remaining employees would be temporarily furloughed, officials said. 
"While TSA is prepared to continue screening about 2.5 million passengers a day, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports," the TSA said. "We kindly ask for our passengers’ patience during this time." 
The Port Authority said it is working with other airport officials on contingency plans, including monitoring staffing levels at TSA checkpoints and customs, customer support in case of long waits and working with federal transportation officials. 
The shutdown comes after record air traffic was reported in August, with 13.8 million passengers traveling between Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports marking its busiest month ever, and busiest Labor Day weekend on record logging 2.5 million passengers, according to the Port Authority. 
Kennedy saw 6.2 million passengers in August while LaGuardia Airport had 3 million passengers on departing and arriving flights. The Port Authority saw a 2% decline in flight activity since the beginning of the year, totaling 95.4 million passengers 
Long Island MacArthur Airport saw air traffic increase by 16% in August, compared to the same period in 2024. It also marked a 3% increase above pre-pandemic levels, according to the airport.

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Air travel could be plagued by 'severe operating challenges' in long shutdown, but no immediate impact

Air travel could face 'challenges' in extended government shutdown

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The lingering shutdown of the federal government could have long-term ramifications on how New Yorkers get around, including by causing delays to flights and in the construction of two major transit infrastructure projects, the nation’s top transportation official said Monday. 
Some air traffic controllers are already working without pay during the ongoing shutdown, according to union officials. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, at a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday, said some airports have seen "a slight tick up in sick calls" from air traffic controllers, which he said could be attributed to them working second jobs. 
Democrats and Republicans have traded blame over the shutdown. Democrats want President Donald Trump and Republicans to agree to extend health care subsidies for millions of Americans set to expire in January, to support a temporary spending bill and reopen the government. Republican have insisted the debate about health care can happen only once a funding bill is passed. 
A shortage of controllers could result in increased flight delays and cancellations as air traffic is scaled back, Duffy said. 
Galen Munroe, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, confirmed his union’s members are already working without pay, and will receive partial paychecks on Oct. 14 covering only through Oct. 2. Under the law, federal workers get back pay when a funding agreement is reached. 
The longer the shutdown goes on, the more hardship and stress for air traffic controllers and their families, said Michael McCormick, a former head of the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Ronkonkoma who now teaches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. 
"Most controllers are financially secure enough that they can go a pay period without a paycheck. But to go beyond that, it gets to be problematic — especially those who live or work in high cost-of-living areas" like New York City and Long Island, McCormick said. 
The national-level leadership of the controllers' union posted a message on its website encouraging members to continue working. But McCormick said long term, without paychecks, more controllers are likely to call in sick, potentially resulting in delayed or canceled flights. 
Duffy said the shutdown also could result in the slowing down of hiring and training new controllers, if trainers and support staff are furloughed, and in delayed progress in modernizing air traffic control facilities, some of which utilize decades-old technology. 
Also at risk are "the two biggest projects in the Western Hemisphere" — Amtrak’s $16 billion Gateway effort, which aims to build a new rail tunnel across the Hudson River, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $2 billion extension of the Second Avenue Subway. 
Duffy said he ordered a review of the projects because of concerns that contracts were being awarded based on "race and sex." But Duffy said those reviews are on hold because the DOT’s civil rights staffers have been furloughed. 
"We're not trying to shut down these projects. To the contrary, we're trying to make sure these projects move forward and move forward fast, because they're important," Duffy said. 
At a Bronx news conference Monday, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said New York projects "are being singled out" because they’re on the home turf of Democratic congressional leaders. 
"To us, there’s no drama," said Lieber, who believes the MTA will be able to comply with the DOT’s rules. "From an MTA standpoint, there need not be any impact on our projects when the dust settles, and hopefully we go back to normal business."

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Air traffic controllers going without pay as Trump administration warns about travel impacts

Air traffic controllers going without pay, union officials say

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Laura Figueroa Hernandez

The U.S. Senate for a fifth time failed to pass a Republican-backed short-term spending bill on Monday, ensuring the federal government shutdown would stretch into a seventh day. 
Despite the partisan impasse over a funding bill, President Donald Trump signaled a willingness to speak with congressional Democrats on the issue of health care. Democrats are demanding a renewal of soon-to-expire health care subsidies in exchange for their support of the stopgap spending bill. 
"We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things, and I'm talking about good things with regard to health care," Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday before the Senate vote. 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) both said there were no current talks between Democrats and the White House, as Trump claimed, but said they are open to reviving discussions after a meeting with Trump last week failed to yield a compromise. 
Schumer in a statement said: "Trump’s claim isn’t true — but if he’s finally ready to work with Democrats, we’ll be at the table." 
Earlier in the day, Jeffries challenged House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to a floor debate over the impasse, as Johnson continues to hold the chamber in recess. 
Jeffries in a letter to Johnson said a debate would "give you an opportunity to explain your 'my way or the highway' approach to shutting the government down, when Democratic votes are needed to resolve the impasse that exists." 
Johnson, speaking to reporters, rejected Jeffries' invitation, calling it "nonsense."

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Shutdown Day 6: Senate votes again, with same outcome

Shutdown Day 6: How it unfolded

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The&nbsp;ongoing government shutdown is leading to concern among veterans who are worried about losing their benefits and support services. NewsdayTV&rsquo;s Virginia Huie reports.

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How the government shutdown is impacting veterans

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Newsday

'It's a real problem'

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WASHINGTON — The future pay status of federal workers emerged as a top issue on Tuesday, as the shutdown dragged past its seventh day without&nbsp;resolution. 
With both sides entrenched in their positions, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) did not schedule a floor vote on a short-term spending bill that has previously failed five times along mostly partisan-lines. 
Meanwhile, a memo floated by the White House Office of Management and Budget questioned whether furloughed workers were entitled to back pay under a 2019 law&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed during his first term after a series of shutdowns. 
The memo argues that the law makes no automatic guarantee of backpay without congressional action, but lawmakers from both sides of the aisle countered that the intent of the law was to assure workers’ pay would be safe. 
Trump, asked by reporters if he supported paying furloughed workers said: "It really depends on who you're talking about." 
Congressional Democrats decried the memo, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries telling reporters: "The law is clear, and we will make sure that law is followed." 
House Speaker Mike Johnson said there would be "discussions" surrounding the OMB memo but that he hoped "that the furloughed workers receive back pay, of course." 
Thune (R-S.D.), urged Democrats to support the funding bill, saying "This week paychecks start getting affected for federal workers." 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) continued to call on Republicans to negotiate a deal with Democrats to break the stalemate: "Republicans should understand that they cannot go forward unless we come to a bipartisan agreement to address the health care crisis facing America." 
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries meanwhile&nbsp;dismissed a proposal for a one-year extension of expiring Obamacare tax credits as a compromise solution to what’s become a main issue in the shutdown. He called it "laughable" that any Democrats would back anything less than a permanent extension — although Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi is leading 11 other House Democrats who’ve joined some Republicans in that push. &nbsp;

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Shutdown Day 7: New focus on back pay for furloughed workers

Shutdown Day 7: How it unfolded

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WASHINGTON — The eighth day of the federal shutdown saw tensions flare Wednesday between lawmakers in U.S. Capitol hallways, no deal on how to keep military service members paid&nbsp;and a sixth failed Senate vote for new funding that could have reopened agencies. 
The Senate’s inability once again to advance a House-passed funding bill and a competing Democratic bill&nbsp;reflected no visible progress in the standoff. The Republican measure to replenish agency coffers until Nov. 21 fell short 47-52, needing eight non-GOP votes — still stuck at just three political aisle-jumpers. 
Meanwhile, the last time the House was in session was Sept. 19. Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday he has&nbsp;no plans to call members back to Washington — even to take up a standalone measure that would keep military paychecks flowing. 
Service members could miss their Oct. 15 paycheck if Congress doesn't act on a bill — or unless the White House somehow rejiggers funding from some other source. But Johnson said he is not going to heed the calls in a letter signed by dozens of Democrats — included Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) — urging him to summon the House back into session to act on that issue. 
Johnson said&nbsp;at a news conference that troops would have been fully funded in the House-passed bill that keeps failing now without Democratic help in the Senate — and thus, in the House, "We already had that vote." 
But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) underscored that Republicans must negotiate with Democrats over extending or continuing expiring Obamacare health care tax credits that millions of Americans rely on before his party will support a bill to reopen government. 
There was no evidence negotiations between centrists from both parties were making progress on that front. 
However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) did show a softening in his position that a one-year extension of those subsidies — as opposed to making them permanent — was something he would not consider as a compromise. 
He said his current position remains that a permanent extension is needed for enrollees, but that, "At the end of the day, the [House Democratic] Caucus in good faith will evaluate anything presented by the Senate." 
That was a shift from Tuesday, when Jeffries called a one-year extension "laughable," even though that's what is called for in a bipartisan bill on which Suozzi is the lead Democratic sponsor and which other House Democrats support. 
Even with the House not officially in session, there were run-ins Wednesday between some Republican and Democratic lawmakers who were at the Capitol. In one that was caught widely on video, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River) challenged Jeffries in a hallway to back the&nbsp;Suozzi-sponsored bill, which he supports. 
But not even Lawler’s own Republican Party leaders have indicated backing a one-year extension as a compromise to end the shutdown. "We've got a one-year extension, why don't you sign on right now?" Lawler asked. At one point, Jeffries responded, "Did you get permission from your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump give you permission?" 
To all of this, Suozzi — who like all but one House Democrat did not vote for the Republican funding bill in September — said in a statement: "Everyone needs to take a deep breath and remember why we came to Congress." 
He urged that the House return&nbsp;to Washington and hammer out a deal to both reopen the government and make sure health care costs "don’t skyrocket on Jan.&nbsp;1."

usCLOSE251009

Shutdown Day 8: Sixth Senate vote fails amid tensions

Shutdown Day 8: How it unfolded

"Stop the madness!" urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday to Democrats, but there emerged little sign on the ninth day of the U.S. government shutdown of any bipartisan exit ramp. 
For a seventh time, Johnson’s House-approved GOP bill to refund agencies failed to advance in the Senate, in a 54-45 vote. The GOP needs eight votes from across the political aisle to help move the bill, but that number stayed at just three, where it has been. 
Democrats continued to demand that language be added to renew Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire in January&nbsp;to protect millions of Americans from significant premium cost spikes next year. 
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of "using health care as a cudgel." He returned to warning that government programs could be cut if the shutdown doesn't end. 
"We'll be making cuts that will be permanent, and we're only going to cut Democrat programs," Trump said. 
Amid this back and forth, military service members remained uncertain whether they will get their next scheduled paycheck next&nbsp; Wednesday&nbsp;because those would have to be processed by Monday. 
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville), a potential GOP candidate for New York governor next year, broke ranks with Johnson to echo more than 100 members from both parties calling for a standalone vote to pay the military during the shutdown. 
Still, Johnson continued to indicate he’s not bringing the House back to session to do that, and won’t do so until government is reopened. 
"We’ve done our work," Johnson reiterated Thursday during a news&nbsp;conference at the U.S. Capitol, referring to the GOP bill the House passed on Sept. 19 that could reopen government with new funding. That was the last day the House voted. 
House Minority&nbsp;Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) later resurrected his own line about mental stability, saying the definition of insanity is putting the same bill on the Senate floor "over and over and over again and expecting a different result." 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also offered no hint at backing off, demanding the renewal of the Obamacare tax credits. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has indicated he’d allow a vote on that, but only after government is reopened.

USCLOSE251010

Shutdown Day 9: Stalemate continues with another failed Senate vote

Shutdown Day 9: Stalemate continues

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Added drama arrived on the 10th day of the U.S. government shutdown as President Donald Trump said he was unleashing&nbsp;what he called "Democratic-oriented" layoffs to occur in programs that Democrats like.&nbsp; 
Trump promised Friday, "It’ll be a lot" of them. 
"Deliberate chaos," responded Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). He accused Trump and White House Budget Director Russl Vought of "callously choosing to hurt people" with the layoffs. 
Vought telegraphed the firings in a social media post&nbsp;earlier Friday. Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency and other employees have already started getting notices, and as many as 4,000 in at least seven agencies are being targeted. 
Schumer and other opponents accused Trump and his administration of using the federal closure as a pretext to make cuts they wanted, regardless. 
There remained little public movement toward a resolution. Democrats continued to demand that any bill to start money flowing to federal agencies include language to renew soon-to-expire COVID-era Obamacare tax credits. 
But Republicans continued to refuse. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced Friday that he is not bringing the House back to vote next week. Johnson reiterated he will summon legislators only if Democrats provide the needed Senate votes to advance the already House-passed bill, as is. 
The continued standoff on Friday prompted the Association for a Better Long Island to send an open letter to the Long Island congressional delegation. It warned that the nation, state&nbsp;and region already have&nbsp;begun to suffer economic damage.

USCLOSE251011

Shutdown Day 10: Trump firings begin

Shutdown Day 10: How it happened

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WASHINGTON — About 2,000 active-duty military service members stationed on Long Island or who live in Nassau or Suffolk counties — and roughly 28,000 throughout New York State — are unsure if they will receive their next paychecks on Wednesday. 
The anxiety is already prompting some troops to seek low-interest emergency loans to get them through.&nbsp;And&nbsp;some community leaders have been contacted by locally stationed commanders for help in organizing food drops for service members who could run short of funds. 
The pay stoppage could occur because of the continuation of the U.S. government shutdown — even as these military members remain on duty as essential to national security. Similar worries are gripping about 1.3 million active-duty military members nationally. 
On Saturday, President Donald Trump said on social media that he was ordering the Pentagon to use “all available funds” to ensure U.S. troops are paid Wednesday despite the shutdown.&nbsp;But details of how that would work, and how quickly, were&nbsp;unclear. 
A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget told The Associated Press that&nbsp;Pentagon research and development funds would be used to pay the salaries. 
"I’ve talked to soldiers in the last week. And they are like, ‘I don’t even know how I’m going to go food shopping,’" said Steven Castleton of West Islip, a philanthropist and former civilian aide to the secretary of the Army for New York South.&nbsp; 
On Friday, these troops remained in the political crossfire of a shutdown standoff, with no guarantee of a&nbsp;compromise by Monday&nbsp;to provide enough&nbsp;time to process the scheduled Wednesday payments. 
Both sides in the 10-day&nbsp;shutdown stalemate Friday were still&nbsp;far apart on a bill to start money flowing to, and&nbsp;reopen, federal agencies&nbsp;and to guarantee troops get paid next week. Historically, military members have gotten paid during federal shutdowns with separate&nbsp;stand-alone bills. 
But this week, even bipartisan calls by nearly 150 lawmakers for a vote to ensure members of the military get paid were rejected. As of Friday, the House did not&nbsp;plan to be in Washington next week. 
"Starting next week,&nbsp;American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck. If Democrats don't end the shutdown by Monday, then that Oct. 15 date will pass us by," Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday. 
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) echoed that, criticizing Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer&nbsp;of New York. LaLota said that in the House, "I voted to keep the government open and our service members paid and, out of respect for their sacrifice and as a Navy veteran, I’ve directed that my own pay be withheld until they receive theirs." 
Democrats, however, have repeatedly declined to provide the needed votes to advance that bill. They want Republicans to add language to extend Obamacare tax credits that are set to expire in January.&nbsp; 
The House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, of Brooklyn, said Democrats would support a stand-alone bill to keep paying the troops&nbsp;but said Republicans need to come back to Washington to do that and reopen government. 
"I’m hoping we can pull a rabbit out of the hat," said Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), calling it "drastic" that troops might not get paid. He said he hopes&nbsp;Johnson calls lawmakers back to allow members to get to a resolution to reopen government. 
<h3>LI troops</h3> 
Roughly 80% of the roughly 28,000 active-duty military personnel stationed in New York State are tied to Fort Drum, in Jefferson County, not far from the Canadian border, according the Pentagon. No official numbers were provided for active-duty military members on Long Island. 
But Castleton, the former community military liaison for the region, said figures he has maintained show&nbsp;there are roughly 1,100 active-duty members living in Nassau and Suffolk counties, with some&nbsp;stationed to nearby posts such as Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. 
There are 500 to 1,000 active-duty National Guard and Navy and Marine Corps reserve members assigned to Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base Westhampton Beach — where the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York is based — and the Armed Forces Reserve Center Farmingdale. LaLota’s office said there are a little over 200 members of the U.S. Coast Guard in his district. 
It was unclear if the president’s directive would apply&nbsp;to the Coast Guard, which is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces but overseen by the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, the AP reported. 
'Love of country' 
The civilian aide role that Castleton held involved serving without salary to promote positive relations between the Army and &nbsp;local communities. Those positions have since been discontinued across the country. 
But Castleton has kept up many of his local connections. He said some of those, including military commanders stationed on the Island, began reaching out this week.&nbsp;He said he’s been happy to help. 
"You don’t go into the military to get rich. You do it for love of country," he said. "But, your&nbsp;country should love you back."&nbsp;

USSHUT251011

Shutdown imperils paychecks for some 2,000 military members who live on Long Island

At risk in shutdown: paychecks for military

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WASHINGTON — More than 40 years of government shutdowns show that the path to reopening the government usually follows a familiar path. 
Congress, responding to public pressure, ultimately passes a short-term spending deal to fund the government, usually without meeting the demands of the minority party or sitting president, even as both parties rush to sell the reopening as a victory. 
There have been more than a dozen federal government shutdowns since 1981, when a <a href="https://www.govexec.com/management/2022/10/time-lawyer-invented-government-shutdown/378935/">Carter-era legal opinion</a> asserted that any lapses in government funding would force the closure of unfunded agencies. Before the memo, agencies remained open&nbsp;as lawmakers hashed out an agreement, but the closures forced a new era of partisan brokering as both parties sought concessions from the funding negotiations. 
While both parties appeared more willing to broker compromises in the Reagan, Bush and Clinton eras, by the Obama and Trump eras both parties were less willing to let the other side notch any concessions, political scholars told&nbsp;Newsday. 
"They’re suicide missions," said Richard Himelfarb, a professor of political science at Hofstra University. "The history of these shutdowns is that the party that shuts down the government ... loses. They end up making a demand, having that demand rejected and ultimately come with their tails between their legs to the majority." 
<h3>No concessions</h3> 
Nearly two weeks into the current shutdown, congressional Democrats&nbsp;led by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries&nbsp;have not backed down from their demand that a bill to reopen the government include an extension of soon-to-expire public health care subsidies. 
Republicans, in control of both chambers of Congress but still in need of eight Senate Democratic votes to pass the bill, have refused to engage in further negotiations, arguing the issue should be debated later. Meanwhile, the White House raised the stakes on Friday when it started issuing layoff notices to federal employees. 
With the Senate in recess until Tuesday and the House scheduled for a fourth week of recess under the order of Speaker Mike Johnson, lawmakers at home in their districts may start to feel more of the public pressure that usually drives action in Washington, said former Long Island congressman Steve Israel, a Huntington Democrat who served in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2017. 
"As shutdowns drag on, members of Congress return to their districts and hear more anger by voters who can’t access federal services or visit federal sites like national parks," Israel told Newsday in a phone interview. "At that point members from both parties feel a greater pressure to find a path to put the shutdown behind them. That usually takes weeks, but not months." 
Former Long Island Rep. Pete King, a Seaford Republican and&nbsp;veteran of shutdowns through the Clinton, Obama and Trump presidencies, said he has always argued against using a shutdown as leverage to gain policy concessions. He said that was true&nbsp;even when President Donald Trump was on the other end of the phone line urging King in January 2019 to support his bid to keep up a weekslong shutdown to pressure Democrats into funding the U.S. Southern border wall. 
"I told him respectfully, ‘Mr. President, this makes no sense, we’re going to end up back where we started or probably worse,’" King said, recounting the conversation. 
Trump eventually backed off his push to include border wall funding in a short-term spending bill, as airport delays tied to the shutdown rippled through the country. The shutdown that started in mid-December 2018, ended 35 days later in January 2019, the longest shutdown on record. 
<h3>'It's much worse now'</h3> 
King said that while in Congress, he noticed with each passing administration it became more challenging to negotiate stopgap agreements that provided both sides with some level of concessions. 
"It’s much worse now, because back then you had, I would say more normal people in both parties, and you could sort of reach out and talk to them. Now, if you’re even seen talking to the other side, you’re considered a traitor," King said. 
Karen Hult, a professor of political science at Virginia Tech, said it’s difficult to glean from past shutdowns how this one might end because "the party system and the relationships among the branches has changed so much even since 2018," when Trump presided over three government shutdowns. 
"The negotiating space that's there for discussions is really quite limited," Hult told Newsday in a phone interview, noting the growing partisan entrenchment. "It’s very difficult to get across that broad middle chasm between the two parties, even though that's where it appears as though many U.S. voters are placing themselves."

USSHUT251012

Shutdown history is clear: Public pressure on Congress leads to a short-term funding deal

Past shutdowns show public pressure leads to a deal

Nicholas Spangler

Ten days after the federal government shut down at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, the lights were on at Theodore Roosevelt’s house, but the doors were locked. Some of the porta-potties down the hill were locked too. No docents or park rangers could be seen. 
At Fire Island National Seashore, hundreds of visitors climbed the steps &nbsp;of the tall lighthouse, open because it is staffed by the nonprofit Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, not the National Park Service, but nobody answered the phone at the William Floyd Estate, a National Seashore site in Mastic Beach. 
More than a quarter of national park sites across the United States, many of them historical properties, are closed to the public; any facility or area that is typically locked during nonbusiness hours must be locked during the shutdown, according to an NPS contingency plan from September. 
According to that plan, park websites won’t be maintained, trash won’t be collected, restrooms won’t be cleaned and roads won’t be maintained. Activities including law enforcement and border protection continue. 
Under those somewhat daunting terms, visitors parked about a dozen cars at Sagamore Friday morning. 
Paul and Carolyn Rezza, of Seaford, sat on rocking chairs on the Roosevelt deck and looked down over the rolling meadows where the Roosevelt children rode ponies. Paul sounded frustrated when he talked about the elected leaders who caused or permitted the shutdown. 
"They don’t care about a single person they represent," he said. "It’s all about them." But he said he was not frustrated. "I’m enjoying the day," he said. "It’s so peaceful. The colors are starting to change." 
Carolyn, whose grandfather, as a toddler, shook Roosevelt’s hand, according to family lore, said she didn’t mind being unable to tour Roosevelt’s house. It was enough to take in the day. "I could sit here for hours," she said. "I always say to Paul, ‘If we could bottle this North Shore air.’" 
Kevin and Debbie Harwell had driven five&nbsp;hours from State College, Pennsylvania. They are history buffs who bought a travel trailer during the pandemic&nbsp;and traveled America visiting national parks. They had made their third attempt to tour Roosevelt’s house, the first two having failed for logistical reasons. They were set up for success this time, Debbie said. "Then the shutdown happened. We’re not meant to go in the house," she concluded. The closure of national parks, which she considered "hallowed ground," made her uneasy, she said. 
Kevin Harwell, too, was uneasy, about more than parks. "Our laws and our government systems are being challenged in ways they haven’t been challenged before," he said. "I don’t know what the outcome is going to be. I’m hopeful that our better angels prevail." <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Katherine Knight, of Locust Valley, and her dog, Jenny, at Sagamore Hill on Friday in Oyster Bay." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/067d69d2-7ed6-4464-883a-c66cec7e0f79" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/067d69d2-7ed6-4464-883a-c66cec7e0f79', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/067d69d2-7ed6-4464-883a-c66cec7e0f79"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/067d69d2-7ed6-4464-883a-c66cec7e0f79/DEC_434399814.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3">Katherine Knight, of Locust Valley, and her dog, Jenny, at Sagamore Hill on Friday in Oyster Bay.</a> 
By the Sagamore parking lot, Katherine Greco said she had hoped to show the president’s house to her husband, Zac. They live in Dallas, but she grew up in Bayville, and they flew up to visit. "I grew up coming here," she said. "My dad died when I was 16, and this was his favorite place." They used to get ice cream at Gooseberry Grove in Oyster Bay and sit on the rocking chairs, eat ice cream and watch wild turkeys, she said. But the visit was not a bust; they downloaded an app to take a self-guided tour. 
At the Fire Island lighthouse, Jonathan Gaare, of Babylon, the Preservation Society’s executive director, said the shutdown had been announced just as his group was &nbsp;preparing for its biggest fundraiser of the year, a beer- and wine-tasting event called the Keeper’s Craft Tasting. 
It will go on as planned Saturday, but "we were sweating," Gaare said, due to concern&nbsp;about the shutdown's impact. He&nbsp;and his co-workers use money they raise to maintain the lighthouse and its navigation beacon, archive its history and educate visitors. <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Fire Island Lighthouse, open to visitors, at the National Seashore. 
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/d4aa299d-8158-4de9-8e5f-fb00857947d7" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/d4aa299d-8158-4de9-8e5f-fb00857947d7', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/d4aa299d-8158-4de9-8e5f-fb00857947d7"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/d4aa299d-8158-4de9-8e5f-fb00857947d7/DEC_465199820.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">Fire Island Lighthouse, open to visitors, at the National Seashore. </a> 
Gaare said some of his visitors worried about the shutdown. "They’re worrying about their park, their backyard. They want the boardwalk to be maintained, the bathrooms to be maintained," he said. 
Gaare, a former park ranger, said he worried too. "I feel for the federal employees who dedicated their careers to public service, especially to the rangers here who dedicated their careers to protecting this land for Long Islanders," he said. "We’re so urban — these little nuggets of wildlands, they definitely need to be protected." 
With AP

LIPARKS251011

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Shutdown disappoints some Sagamore Hill visitors but preservation society keeps Fire Island lighthouse open

Roosevelt's LI home shuttered from shutdown, while preservation society keeps lighthouse open

Federal government shutdown: Day-by-day recap

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