On October 1, the United States began an ongoing government shutdown, marking the fifth time in the nation’s history.
Here are the top political events that have occurred, related to the shutdown.
A Federal Workers Union Sues the Education Department over Partisan Email Messages
- As reported by NPR, a federal workers’ union is suing the Trump administration for inserting partisan language into employees’ out-of-office emails within the Department of Education. The email messages are read as blaming the Democratic Party for the government shutdown.
Major Airports Refuse to Run Kristi Noem Video
- Major airports are refusing to air Kristi Noem’s, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security video, placing blame on the Democrats for the current government shutdown. According to NBC News, Noem mentions that TSA’s “top priority” is to help make travel pleasant and keep passengers safe. In the recording, she continued, “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”
- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which includes John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport, declined the opportunity to air the video, citing “politically partisan messaging.” Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport are also among the other airports refusing to play the video.
Burbank, CA, Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower Shuts Down
- On October 6, the Hollywood Burbank Airport remained unstaffed for about six hours, forcing the closure of its air traffic control tower. Controllers were said to have called in sick or taken days off on short notice, likely due to the government shutdown’s halting of pay for federal employees. Southern California TRACON in San Diego assumed local duties for the day, including issuing clearances. The tower is currently in operation, as of October 7.
Trump Suggests Some Furloughed Federal Workers May Not Receive Back Pay
- On October 7, Trump suggested that some federal workers who have been furloughed during the ongoing government shutdown may be ineligible to receive back pay upon returning to work. However, a federal law, titled the “Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019,” which Trump signed in 2019, states that furloughed government employees “shall be paid for the period of the lapse in appropriations.”
A Military Spouse Pleads with House Speaker Mike Johnson
- On October 9, a caller on C-SPAN, who identified as a Republican from Virginia, pressed Mike Johnson (R-LA) about the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on military families. “If we see a lapse in pay, come the 15th, my children do not get the medication that’s needed for them to live their life because we live paycheck to paycheck,” the caller pleaded. “The Republicans are the ones delivering for you. The Democrats are the ones preventing you from getting a check,” Johnson responded.
GU writer Starr Washington offered additional insights as a member of a military family experiencing the shutdown. Washington’s husband is enrolled in technical school for the Air Force, about four hours away from their house, while she and their daughter stay at home. “It’s hard for us to see each other. We were supposed to move to his first duty station at the beginning of October, but because of the government shutdown, everything’s on hold. The move requires government funding, and until that’s approved, we’re stuck living apart with no clear timeline,” Washington admitted. She mentions that her husband was paid on October 15, but they’re preparing for potential strain if he does not receive his next payment on the 1st of next month.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump from Firing Federal Workers During Shutdown
- A federal judge on October 26 temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the government shutdown. In a written order, San Francisco U.S. District Court Judge Susan Yvonne Illston called the firings “unprecedented.” About 4,200 federal workers across seven agencies were laid off on October 10.
SNAP Funding is Expected to Run Out in November
- If the government shutdown continues in November, around 42 million low-income families are at risk of losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits, per The New York Times. Over a dozen states have warned that food stamp recipients may experience delays, reduced aid, or not be able to receive any assistance at all. On average, recipients received around $188, totaling the cost of about $8 billion, according to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program data.