Congress: The Senate & The House

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? Johnson pinkie promises

Speaker Mike Johnson was seen making House floor pinkie promises today ahead of the vote on a short-term spending stopgap, which passed 217-212.

Why it matters: The vote needed to squeak through, as many of Johnson's do. But every member who got a Johnson pinkie promise voted "yes" moments later.

• Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), all who often oppose short-term funding bills, were among those who got the gesture.
• Burchett told us that Johnson's pinkie promise was a pledge to boost funding for members' security when the House returns from recess.
• "Some of the more high-profile folks really do need protection," Burchett told us today. "I mean, we have one member now who's had over 50 death threats. We've got one member [who] has a bounty out on her head."

The backdrop: The House-passed CR includes $30 million in additional funding for members' security, but several lawmakers feel it's not enough.

• That's in addition to the $58 million bump the White House has requested for executive and judicial branch security following the killing of Kirk.
• Johnson is weighing a supplemental security bill in October, he told reporters today. But it's not clear how much additional funding will be needed.

What's next: Johnson told reporters after the CR passed that Senate Democrats are "not being reasonable at all."

• "If [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer's negotiation is that he wants to add $1.1 trillion in spending, the answer is, heck no," Johnson added. "We're not doing this. And we're not going to pay for health care for illegal aliens. That's against the law."

The bottom line: After Senate Democrats blocked the House-passed CR today, the next CR votes aren't expected until Sept. 29, right ahead of the shutdown deadline.

— Kate Santaliz

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? Cruz: MAGA "will regret" Kimmel treatment

Sen. Ted Cruz isn't joining the MAGA celebration over the suspension of Kimmel. Instead, the Texas Republican is suggesting Carr is behaving like a gangster.

• Why it matters: Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have largely avoided direct criticism of Carr for suggesting that ABC should take action against Kimmel.

But Cruz is taking a different approach.

• "That's right out of 'Goodfellas,'" Cruz said today on his podcast. "That's right out of a mafioso coming into a bar going, 'Nice bar you have here. It'd be a shame if something happened to it.'"
• "It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it. And so again, I like Brendan Carr, but we should not be in this business."

— Hans Nichols

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Democrats Slam Proposal to Give Marco Rubio the Power to Revoke Passports

The House Foreign Affairs Committee formally killed a GOP proposal to give Secretary of State Marco Rubio the power to revoke Americans’ passports over alleged terror ties on Thursday — but not before Democrats lambasted the idea one last time.

https://theintercept.com/2025/09/18/marco-rubio-revoke-passports/?

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? Epstein files magic number

A tiny group of stubborn House Republicans is poised to force an embarrassing vote for the Trump White House.

• Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) Epstein files discharge petition can sew up its 218th signature tonight in a special election in Arizona.

Why it matters: For House Speaker Mike Johnson, it's a tough reminder of the limits of his power. For Trump, it's a rare case in which GOP lawmakers openly defy his sustained pressure.

? Massie is pitching a select group of his GOP colleagues to sign on to his petition that would force a vote on releasing the files associated with the investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.

• "Don't let it be a Democrat who's the 218th signature. Let it be a Republican. That would be good for us to signal we want transparency," Massie told us.
• But Adelita Grijalva is widely expected to win the race today to replace her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), in Arizona's 7th District.
• She plans to sign the discharge petition if elected, a spokesperson told us.

Zoom in: Johnson has urged his conference to stay clear of the petition, saying that Oversight's probe will ultimately yield more information.

• But GOP Reps. Nancy Mace (S.C.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (Colo.) have kept their names on the petition.
• "They're solid. They're not moving," Massie told us before recess about his co-signers.

Between the lines: Johnson has tucked language in party-line procedural measures to kill discharge petitions.

• He faced blowback when he employed the tactic to quash a proxy voting discharge petition in April, but he used the ensuing stalemate to negotiate a quiet end to the issue.
• House Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) told reporters this month her panel would not block a floor vote on the petition.

What's next: If Adelita Grijalava is elected, it is expected she would be sworn in when Congress returns from recess in early October.

• That would tee up a floor vote on releasing the files in mid-October.

— Kate Santaliz

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Dems mock Trump

Democratic leaders are crying foul — and calling Trump chicken — for canceling a meeting with them on avoiding a government shutdown.

• Why it matters: Leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries want to increase the pressure on Trump and persuade the public that any potential shutdown is his fault.

? "Today seems to be tantrum day for Donald Trump," Schumer said at a press conference in New York.

• "Mr. President: Do your job. Stop ranting. Stop these long diatribes that mean nothing to anyone."

? "Trump Always Chickens Out," Jeffries posted on X, reviving the "TACO" joke that Trump doesn't seem to find too funny.

• "The statement that Donald Trump issued today was unhinged," Jeffries said at a press conference.

The bottom line: The Trump-Schumer-Jeffries-Thune-Johnson brinkmanship has now extended to meetings.

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?️ Dems defy shutdown threats

Congressional Democrats are largely dismissing the Trump administration's threats to use a government shutdown to fire scores of federal workers, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.

• The shrugs are coming even from lawmakers who represent large swaths of the federal workforce — underscoring the extent to which Democrats are dug in on government funding.

? "We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on X, after White House budget director Russ Vought told agencies to prepare for mass firings if there's a shutdown.

• Any firings "will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.

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Why Dems are all-in

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Democrats finally see an opportunity to satisfy the "fight harder" demands from their grassroots base. Now all they have to do is be willing to shut down the government. Why it matters: Both progressive and moderate Democrats who spoke to us today said the party is unified in its willingness to shut down the government if President Trump doesn't come to the table. That's a huge change from March, when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and several other Senate Democrats helped avoid a shutdown. But it comes after months of Democrats being bombarded with demands in phone calls and at town halls to go all-out in fighting the Trump administration. The big picture: "Obviously, the base of the party wants to see that we're not going along," said one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts on the political dynamics of the shutdown fight. "I think it's pretty safe to say that if Schumer folded and got nothing in return before [Oct. 1], he might as well just go to the UPS store and grab a U-Haul and clean out his office," the lawmaker told us. Pressure from the base is "part of [the] calculation," another House Democrat acknowledged to us. House Democrats are scheduled to have a virtual caucus meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss the government funding deadline, according to an invite shared with us. Zoom in: During a press conference today, Jeffries dismissed the notion that pressure from the base is playing a role. "The health care crisis impacting the American people is real. The issue is about health care," he said. One Democratic demand (it's a steep list!) on a short-term funding deal is an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. Republicans say they're willing to negotiate on the extensions, but not as part of a funding deal. The bottom line: Democrats who represent districts in the D.C. suburbs aren't backing down, even after the Trump administration's threat to fire thousands of federal workers in a shutdown. "I spoke to several contractors and federal workers," said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.). "Like me, they don't want a shutdown, but they also don't want us to capitulate and pretend like things are normal." Subramanyam told us that "the base would be incensed if Schumer was seen as capitulating again." — Andrew Solender

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? Schumer's war room

Schumer and his staff are closely coordinating their government shutdown strategy with outside liberal groups, we have learned.

Why it matters: The same groups slammed Schumer earlier this year for caving on government funding. This time, the Democratic leader is playing to his base.

• Multiple progressive groups told us they've had weekly meetings and conversations with Schumer and his team over the last two months.
• In the private talks, grassroots leaders have stressed the need for Schumer and Democrats to fight harder against President Trump and Republicans.
• Backing down and helping fund the government, like Schumer did in March, is unacceptable, the groups have told his team.

Zoom in: The organizations working closely with Schumer and his aides include MoveOn, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and several unions, people familiar said.

• "There has been more proactive communication from leadership to I would just call it the outside ecosystem," said Joel Payne, MoveOn's chief communications officer.
• "The battle lines that the grassroots of the party is drawing for the grasstops leadership is, hey, you've got to be willing to fight."

The big picture: One senior leader from a top grassroots organization told us they have been leveraging the upcoming nationwide No Kings protest next month in conversations with the Schumer team.

• "You can either be a part of this movement or be irrelevant to it," the source said they told Schumer's team.

Between the lines: Schumer's leadership team established a war room email list with outside groups, strategists and influencers in which they share talking points and social media posts to amplify.

• "Democrats do NOT want a shutdown," read the talking points in a recent message from the war room.
• Schumer's team is asking the groups to find "storytellers" who can talk about the real-life impacts of Medicaid cuts and expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, according to a senior leader at a Democratic-aligned group.
• "They're treating it like a campaign. ... All those things didn't happen last time because maybe Democrats on Capitol Hill didn't feel like the time was right for a fight," the source said. "Or maybe they just didn't realize this was gonna irk the grassroots that much."

— Stephen Neukam and Holly Otterbein

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? Sneaky shutdown threat

A potential government shutdown next week will complicate some big-dollar destination fundraisers next weekend.

Why it matters: Venues are booked, senators are scheduled and lobbyists have RSVP'd. But optically, it's hard for lawmakers to duck out of town to fill their coffers if Congress hasn't come to an agreement on how to fund the government.

• In the 2013 government shutdown, Republicans and Democrats canceled both in-town and destination fundraisers.

Zoom in: For the National Republican Senatorial Committee, an expected shutdown could not come at a worse time.

• They are scheduled to gather next weekend at Sea Island, Georgia, for one of their two big annual retreats. A handful of senators, including NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.), are scheduled to attend.
• Democrats also have destination fundraisers planned. A leadership PAC aligned with Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) is preparing to host Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (Colo.), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene (Wash.) and other lawmakers in Ventura County, California.

What they're saying: "This event has been planned for months, but the congressman is prepared to immediately return to Washington if there's any opportunity to end the Republicans' government shutdown on terms that put working families first," said Eduardo Carrizosa, spokesperson for Carbajal.

• "Congressman Carbajal's top priority will always be fighting for his constituents' best interests."
• Registered guests for the GOP extravaganza in Sea Island expect it to go forward, but maybe with fewer senators in attendance.
• An NRSC spokesperson declined to comment.

Zoom out: On long weekends, lawmakers and lobbyists usually have invites to leave town for a destination fundraiser, hosted by a leadership PAC, a party committee or just a campaign.

• Those entities can accept donations from corporate PACs, which are typically delivered by the lobbyists who represent them.
• It's a win-win for both lobbyists and lawmakers. Lawmakers collect checks for either their own PAC or one of their friends' PACs. Lobbyists get a resort weekend with lawmakers, top aides and sometimes their families.

Between the lines: Transportation, hotels and meals can be expensed. Political donations cannot.

• Some lobbyists donate from their own personal savings. Others deliver a check from their company's PAC.

— Hans Nichols

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? Hill aides sweat

Congressional staffers are starting to get nervous about missing paychecks if the government shuts down, aides are telling us.

Why it matters: Lawmakers automatically get paid during a shutdown. Their aides don't.

• Congress hasn't passed a legislative branch appropriations bill, so congressional employees won't be spared in any shutdown.
• Staffers will receive back pay when the government reopens, but it could be quite painful for the aides who help run Congress.

Between the lines: The House is paid monthly.

• The Senate is on a bimonthly schedule, meaning Senate staffers could miss a paycheck in mid-October if the government shuts down.
• The House's payday is Oct. 31.
• Junior staffers, who are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck, would be expected to feel the effects most.

The bottom line: The Senate and congressional federal credit unions have offered interest-free loans during past shutdowns.

• But not every staffer belongs to them.
• For the U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union, the maximum loan amount is $5,000.

— Hans Nichols

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Dems harden on crime

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

A growing number of Democratic officials — even mayoral candidates — are embracing tough-on-crime strategies in ways not seen since the 1990s, seeking to counter President Trump's focus on high violent crime rates in Democrat-led cities, Axios' Russell Contreras reports. "Democrats need to get their head(s) out of their asses when it comes to this issue," Sam Bregman, a district attorney and a Democratic candidate for New Mexico governor in 2026, told Axios. Why it matters: Homicides are declining nationally. But shootings in Chicago and other cities — along with high-profile slayings, especially the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a light-rail train in Charlotte, N.C. — have inspired moderate Democrats to embrace anti-crime plans. ? From New Jersey to New Mexico, Democrats are calling for more police, tougher bail guidelines for repeat offenders, fewer early releases, and more patrols in targeted areas. They want more action against crime in subway systems, on Native American reservations, and in rural communities, where Black and Latino residents feel the brunt of violent crime. ? Zoom in: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the National Guard to Albuquerque — one of the nation's most violent cities — to help police with crime months before Trump sent troops to Washington, D.C. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, whose tough-on-crime approach was credited with helping her defeat more progressive rivals in 2023, has touted her policies as a key factor in the city's steep drop in homicides. In New Jersey, Democrats in the state Assembly have proposed a bill that would punish parents (up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine) if their minor children join mass fights or riots — an effort to curb increasingly violent gatherings of youths. In California, Democrats are mulling more bipartisan anti-crime ideas after voters last year approved increased prison time for some nonviolent offenses such as shoplifting and drug possession. Via Truth Social ⚡ President Trump said he'll send troops to Portland, Ore., a "sanctuary city." Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said the City of Roses is doing "just fine." Go deeper. Read more.

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?️ Shutdown could devastate D.C.

The looming federal shutdown could be the worst-ever for D.C.'s regional economy, says Brookings fellow Tracy Loh, co-author of a new report about effects of President Trump's cuts on the District, Maryland and Virginia (DMV). The government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday (Oct. 1) if Congress doesn't pass a spending package. President Trump will meet tomorrow at the White House with the top four congressional leaders (both parties) — one day before the deadline to fund the federal government or face a shutdown. The White House budget office has told agencies to create plans for mass firings of government workers should the shutdown happen. These would go beyond the standard temporary furloughs seen during a shutdown, Axios D.C.'s Mimi Montgomery writes. National defense, immigration enforcement and border security jobs would be safe, along with programs funded by Trump's megabill. Keep reading ... Go deeper: Democrats' uncertain endgame.

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Scoop: Schumer floats shutdown fix

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is sounding out his members about a spending bill to reopen the government for seven to 10 days — if a shutdown is in fact triggered on Oct. 1, according to people familiar with the matter.

https://www.axios.com/2025/09/29/schumer-floats-seven-ten-day-cr-shutdown?

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? Progressives roast Schumer

Progressive Democrats inside and outside Congress erupted in fury over a proposal from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to consider a seven- to 10-day spending bill to reopen the government once it has shut down.

• Schumer has been floating the fix as a way out of a government shutdown, we scooped this afternoon.

Why it matters: Progressives aren't having it.

• ? It is an early glimpse of the kind of intense public backlash congressional Democrats will face if they agree to fund the government without extracting firm commitments on their key priorities.

Zoom out: It's not exactly a surprise.

• In a closed-door meeting this month, House Democrats fumed about a potential repeat of the government funding fight in March.
• Some House Democrats saw that scenario coming to fruition with Schumer's trial balloon, with one telling us that if Schumer "really tries to go down this route, there will be open mutiny among House Dems."
• Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas) quickly blasted the idea as well — "Hell no," he wrote in a post on X — with several of his members following suit.

Zoom in: Schumer's plan B presupposes a government shutdown.

• Asked during a press conference today whether he would support a seven- to 10-day bill, Schumer jumped on the question as a way to rule out any short-term funding mechanism.
• "No. No. We have to do it now. The time is a'wasting," Schumer thundered. "We've delayed and delayed and delayed."
• But he didn't specify whether he was referring to a stopgap bill before or after a shutdown.

? What they're saying: Schumer's comments came after Indivisible — one of the progressive groups with whom the minority leader has been communicating — quickly came out against the idea.

• "Trading away leverage in exchange for a pinkie promise isn't a real strategy," said Indivisible's national advocacy director, Andrew O'Neill. "Democrats should know better than to negotiate against themselves like this, and scrap this idea immediately."

What we're hearing: Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.), a member of the Progressive Caucus and the center-left New Democrat Coalition, told us, "I can only speak for myself, but I'm with" Casar.

• A second House Democrat who spoke on the condition of anonymity told us of Schumer: "I'm not sure why grandpa is doing this. This just shows how out of touch he is with where the American people are at."
• A Schumer spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

— Andrew Solender, Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam

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? Mike Johnson's big ask

Speaker Mike Johnson has a simple request of his members as he implements plans to keep them out of Washington this week: No fundraisers.

Why it matters: Johnson is convinced House Republicans have the moral and tactical high ground in the unfolding government funding fight.

• But he doesn't want to give Democrats any reason to attack Republicans for having priorities other than averting a shutdown.
• That means no political events, as Johnson told lawmakers earlier today.

Between the lines: Senate GOP leaders haven't pulled down any fundraisers yet, with a retreat at Sea Island, Georgia, scheduled for this weekend, as we reported on Friday.

• ✈️ House and Senate Democrats also have destination fundraisers planned, with House lawmakers insisting that they will be available for votes if Johnson schedules them.
• ?But Democratic fundraisers in the House and Senate are still officially scheduled.
• Lawmakers have already canceled CODELs in anticipation of the government running out of money, as we scooped Friday night.

— Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols

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? Scoop: Shaheen shadow boxes

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will host a "shadow hearing" tomorrow to draw attention to what she describes as the skyrocketing insurance costs awaiting everyday Americans if Congress doesn't reauthorize ACA premium subsidies by year's end.

Why it matters: Democrats are trying to increase pressure on Republicans over health care costs to force them to the negotiating table on the shutdown.

• They are also previewing the arguments they will be using against Republicans in next year's midterms.

? Driving the news: Shaheen (D-N.H.), who has been pressing Republicans to cut a deal on the Affordable Care Act subsidies, will hold an afternoon hearing titled, "The Clock Is Ticking: Why Congress Must Extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits."

• She'll be joined by a dozen Democratic senators and four witnesses to discuss how some Americans will see their health insurance costs increase if Congress doesn't continue the subsidies.

Zoom out: Some GOP senators are open to extending the enhanced tax credits in the ACA insurance exchanges — if certain changes are made to the program.

— Hans Nichols

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? ACA deal rumblings

? Speaking of GOP senators who are open to extending enhanced ACA subsidies, we sat down this afternoon with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), who staked out an early compromise position.

Why it matters: GOP support for extending the subsidies has largely come from moderates such as Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), as well as populist Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).

• Marshall is a staunch conservative who wants to see the federal government head back to pre-pandemic spending levels. He also cares about addressing the rising costs of health care, backing price transparency bills, for example.
• But even he is sketching out an early compromise plan for ACA subsidies that he could eventually support.

The details: "I would prefer for [the subsidies] to end like it was planned — that would be my first choice," Marshall told us today in a sit-down interview.

• At a minimum, he wants an income cap of 400% the poverty line, arguing that "50% to 60% of these enhanced premiums are going to people making over 400% of the poverty level — that's $120,000 for a family of four."

Zoom out: Marshall said he has discussed his idea with Senate leadership and the White House.

• He said most of the Senate GOP conference is nowhere near consensus. "I think it's going to be debated very strongly, and we've just begun the debate," he said.

— Stef Kight

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Some feds shrug at shutdown

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

When you wake up tomorrow, the federal government could be shut down. Prospects look bleak for a congressional compromise to avoid a closure at 12:01 a.m. ET, for the first time in almost seven years. But if it takes a shutdown to change what's happening to federal agencies, some workers say: Bring it on, Axios' Emily Peck reports. Why it matters: These employees say they wouldn't support closing the federal government under normal circumstances, given they'd lose pay. But they feel they've been under siege all year and are just out of options. ?️ Federal workers who spoke with Axios — many of whom asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation — shared shades of apathy, or hope that Democrats stand up to the White House. "I really don't want the government to shut down," Mark Histed, who works at the National Institutes of Health, tells Axios. "But we're experiencing the biggest crisis in government in our lifetimes, and the only way out of that is for Congress to stand up and reassert its power." ? Reality check: There are millions of federal employees, and not all of them welcome more disruption. Many would get sent home with no pay. Others would be asked to work for no paycheck. Many live check to check. Federal worker unions have issued statements opposing closure. There's less certainty that federal workers who would be furloughed will receive backpay, as they have during past shutdowns. And the White House is threatening mass firings. ⏰ ICYMI: Congressional leaders left a White House meeting with President Trump late yesterday without a deal to avoid a government shutdown before funding lapses at midnight, Axios' Stephen Neukam reports. What happens in a shutdown.

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?️ Speeding toward a shutdown

Pop-up message on HUD's website today. Screenshot: HUD Not only are Republicans and Democrats far apart in their positions on government funding — they're not even really negotiating, lawmakers tell Axios' Andrew Solender. "It's pretty clear we're shutting down," a House Democrat said. "I think everyone's just preparing for what that actually means." ⌛️ House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), when asked if a shutdown will happen tonight, told Axios: "One might think that." Go deeper.

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Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.

https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f?

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? Brace for impact

The Senate Democratic caucus held a private pep rally today to stand firm on a government shutdown, as we scooped this afternoon.

• Just a few hours later, all but three of them voted to let it shut down.

Why it matters: The two parties aren't even pretending to negotiate right now.

• "We're closer to having negotiations with the Martians than we are with the White House," Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told us today as he came out of a closed-door meeting for House Dems.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that "there isn't any substantive reason why there ought to be a government shutdown. ... If the government shuts down, it is on the Senate Democrats."
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "Republicans are not serious about keeping it open," referencing their refusal to negotiate with Democrats on a short-term funding extension.

? For his part, President Trump spent much of today saying he could do things like "cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that (Democrats) like, cutting programs that they like."

• Roughly 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed each day during a shutdown, the Congressional Budget Office estimated today.
• The White House has warned it could try to turn those furloughs into mass firings during a shutdown.

Zoom in: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against the GOP's funding bill.

• Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine) voted for it.
• For Thune, that makes five the magic number of Dems to flip to "yes." He plans to keep forcing them to vote on the House-passed funding bill.
• For Schumer, keeping those five votes in the "no" column is his only leverage to walk away with any kind of a win.

The bottom line: Democrats blinked on a shutdown this spring, fearing what would happen if they gave "Donald Trump the keys to the city, the state and the country," as Schumer said in March.

• Starting tomorrow, they'll begin to find out.

— Stephen Neukam, Stef Kight, Andrew Solender, Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols

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? ✋ Shutdown do's and don'ts

The Capitol Visitor Center will be closed. CODELs will be on ice, and constituents won't be able to order flags that have flown at the Capitol. But Congress will otherwise function as usual when the federal government shuts down at midnight. Zoom in: Parking garages will have normal hours ... Senate shuttles will run ... cafeterias will be open ... staffers can get replacement IDs (but not new ones) ... and committee rooms will be open for official work, according to guidance sent this afternoon. ✋ But Hill staffers will need to be careful about using the office credit card. ✈️ Senators can't incur new travel expenses, but they can use miles! ? The first call for chiefs of staff: Deciding which employees are "excepted" from the shutdown and allowed (or required!) to work. The theoretical test is whether the job is in support of "the senator in fulfilling their constitutional duties." In reality, nearly every office declares all its employees "excepted." In this shutdown, everyone will likely be deemed essential. Paid and unpaid interns are still allowed to work. Staffers won't get paid until the shutdown's over. Lawmakers will. The bottom line: Health insurance will continue. If and when the government reopens, staffers will get back pay. But for junior aides, a prolonged shutdown can be painful. — Hans Nichols and Stef Kight

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? Leaderboard: The most unpopular

Data: Pew Research Center; Chart: Axios Visuals

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Shutdown Begins

The federal government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to approve a short-term funding bill, triggering the furlough of an estimated 750,000 federal employees each day and disrupting operations across multiple agencies. Republicans had proposed a stopgap funding bill to maintain government funding mostly at 2025 levels through Nov. 21, while Democrats sought to reverse Medicaid cuts and extend Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire this year. The Senate failed yesterday to pass either of the two competing measures. As a result, essential workers, including military personnel and TSA agents, will continue to work without pay, while nonessential offices such as the Labor Department and national parks are closed or operating at limited capacity. Separately funded programs such as Social Security and the Postal Service continue unaffected or with minor administrative disruptions. See a breakdown of federal spending here. This marks the 15th shutdown since 1980, with the last major one lasting 35 days in 2018-19. Senators are scheduled to return Friday to keep voting on proposals to reopen the government.   ⛔️ The shutdown begins     Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   It's official: The federal government shut down at midnight. Republicans are banking that Democrats will blink first and end the shutdown. But just in case, they're going to make it as painful as possible, Axios' Stef W. Kight and Hans Nichols report. ? State of play: Six months of grassroots fury have pushed Democrats to embrace a shutdown as leverage against Republicans. Both sides are dug in. Federal workers will go without pay starting today. The Trump administration is threatening to turn those furloughs — estimated at 750,000 a day — into mass firings. The empty rotunda at the U.S. Capitol in the hours before the shutdown. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters ?️ There's no obvious way out of this, unless one side makes a major course correction. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is under enormous political pressure not to back down without serious negotiations on extending enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act — at a minimum. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) says he won't negotiate while Democrats keep the government shut down. ? What we're watching: Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) are senators to watch on future votes. All voted to keep the government open back in March, but voted no last night. Shutdown Q&A.

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What happens now that a government shutdown is underway Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged federal shutdown after lawmakers deadlocked and missed the deadline for funding the government. Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government at its current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns regarding healthcare. Neither side shows any signs of budging. Read more.

What to know: Now that a lapse in funding has occurred, the law requires agencies to furlough their “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees stay on the job but are not paid until after the shutdown ends. The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed during the shutdown with an approximate daily compensation cost of $400 million.   FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers and agents operating airport checkpoints will keep working, along with members of the Armed Forces. Social Security payments still go out. Seniors relying on Medicare coverage can still see their doctors and health care providers can be reimbursed. The U.S. Postal Service is unaffected by a government shutdown and veteran health care also continues during a shutdown.

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