WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged federal shutdown after lawmakers deadlocked and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-health-care-54b2a584657a0b619bc8326708a05604">missed the deadline</a>&nbsp;for funding the government.

Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-un-sabotage-sinister-escalator-teleprompter-4ea2203722a9afabc991ac6626fff948">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;mega-bill passed this summer and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-food-stamps-6542e448a2f6ed7b93ab8f7fe84ac53a">extend tax credits</a>&nbsp;that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans called the Democratic proposal a nonstarter that would cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion.

Neither side shows any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">signs of budging</a>.

Here’s what to know about the shutdown that began Wednesday:

Now that a lapse in funding has occurred, the law requires agencies to furlough their “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees, who include those who work to protect life and property, stay on the job but don’t get paid until after the shutdown ends.

The White House Office of Management and Budget begins the process with instructions to agencies that a lapse in appropriations has occurred and they should initiate orderly shutdown activities. That memo went out Tuesday evening.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation at roughly $400 million.

What government work continues during a shutdown?

FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers and agents operating airport checkpoints keep working. So do members of the Armed Forces.

Those programs that rely on mandatory spending generally continue during a shutdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-data-department-of-government-efficiency-f8b842c3eeaea5a304c690fba9b032ef">Social Security payments</a>&nbsp;still go out. Seniors relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-trust-fund-trump-74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3">Medicare coverage</a>&nbsp;can still see their doctors and health care providers can be reimbursed.

Veteran health care also continues during a shutdown. Veterans Affairs medical centers and outpatient clinics will be open, and VA benefits will be processed and delivered. Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries.

Will furloughed federal workers get paid?

Yes. In 2019, Congress passed a bill enshrining into law the requirement that furloughed employees get retroactive pay once operations resume.

While they’ll eventually get paid, the furloughed workers and those who remain on the job may have to go without one or more of their regular paychecks, depending upon how long the shutdown lasts.

Service members would also receive back pay for missed paychecks once federal funding resumes.

Yes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-postal-services-us-suspended-tariffs-d74eb6022e8838f39bba8ed9588c74ba">The U.S. Postal Service</a>&nbsp;is unaffected by a government shutdown. It’s an independent entity funded through the sale of its products and services, not by tax dollars.

All administrations get some leeway to choose which services to freeze or maintain in a shutdown.

The first Trump administration worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/66b50739f4b84063a2ff56dff3156712">blunt the impact</a>&nbsp;of what became the country’s longest partial shutdown in 2018 and 2019. But on Tuesday, Trump threatened the possibility of increasing the pain that comes with a shutdown.

“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them,” Trump said of Democrats. “Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan. The plans outline which workers would stay on the job during a shutdown and which would be furloughed.

In a provocative move, the Office of Management and Budget has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">threatened the mass firing</a>&nbsp;of federal workers in a shutdown. An OMB memo said those programs that didn’t get funding through Trump’s mega-bill this summer would bear the brunt of a shutdown.

Agencies should consider issuing reduction-in-force notices for those programs whose funding expires, that don’t have alternative funding sources and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” the memo said.

That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when furloughed federal workers returned to their jobs once the shutdown was over. A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions, which would trigger another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that’s already faced major rounds of cuts due to efforts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-federal-takeover-economy-5a81e02a246995a066db375eb47c5692">the Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere in Trump’s Republican administration.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy-2026-hhs-contingency-staffing-plan/index.html">Health and Human Services</a>&nbsp;will furlough about 41% of its staff out of nearly 80,000 employees, according to a contingency plan posted on its website.

As part of that plan, the Atlanta-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;would continue to monitor disease outbreaks, while activities that will stop include research into health risks and ways to prevent illness.

Meanwhile, research and patient care at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-institutes-of-health-research-cuts-6b69c254bc245f0ec1c7ddf1af74281f">National Institutes of Health</a>&nbsp;would be upended. Patients currently enrolled in studies at the research-only hospital nicknamed the House of Hope will continue to receive care. Additional sick patients hoping for access to experimental therapies can’t enroll except in special circumstances, and no new studies will begin.

At the Food and Drug Administration, its “ability to protect and promote public health and safety would be significantly impacted, with many activities delayed or paused.” For example, the agency would not accept new drug applications or medical device submissions that require payment of a user fee.

— The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harriet-tubman-park-service-trump-dei-a8dbb6fa252518d0598aad5f0ce6f1ab">National Park Service</a>&nbsp;plans to furlough about two-thirds of its employees while keeping parks largely open to visitors during the federal shutdown, according to a contingency plan released Tuesday night. The plan says “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.”

The plan also allows parks to enter into agreements with states, tribes or local governments willing to make donations to keep national park sites open. The park service has more than 400 sites, including large national parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, national battlefields and historic sites.

Sites could close if damage is being done to park resources or garbage is building up.

Many national parks including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-barack-obama-wyoming-lifestyle-c3df56fd72be4ed48a2b8066f365f900">Yellowstone and Yosemite stayed open</a>&nbsp;during a 35-day shutdown during Trump’s first term. Limited staffing led to vandalism, gates being pried open and other problems including an off-roader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e28b313197bb46bebef0faca24b333ed">mowing down one of the namesake trees</a>&nbsp;at Joshua Tree National Park in California.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-trump-history-museum-teachers-3bfba38c574e9b72824f5b4c4f633d52">Smithsonian Institution</a>: Museums, research centers and the National Zoo will remain open through at least Monday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congressional-budget-office-swagel-trump-bill-3a76f5ce1f7bd02c1dac2269d87d91db">Phillip Swagel</a>, director of the Congressional Budget Office, said a short shutdown doesn’t have a huge impact on the economy, especially since federal workers, by law, are paid retroactively. But “if a shutdown continues, then that can give rise to uncertainties about what is the role of government in our society, and what’s the financial impact on all the programs that the government funds.”

“The impact is not immediate, but over time, there is a negative impact of a shutdown on the economy,” he added.

Markets haven’t reacted strongly to past shutdowns, according to Goldman Sachs Research. At the close of the three prolonged shutdowns since the early 1990s, equity markets finished flat or up even after dipping initially.

A governmentwide shutdown would directly reduce growth by around 0.15 percentage points for each week it lasted, or about 0.2 percentage points per week once private-sector effects were included, and growth would rise by the same cumulative amount in the quarter following reopening, writes Alec Phillips, chief U.S. political economist at Goldman Sachs.

Associated Press writer Ali Swenson, Fatima Hussein, Matthew Brown and Annie Ma contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315749226.png" alt="Photo AP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged federal shutdown after lawmakers deadlocked and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-health-care-54b2a584657a0b619bc8326708a05604">missed the deadline</a>&nbsp;for funding the government.</p><p>Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-un-sabotage-sinister-escalator-teleprompter-4ea2203722a9afabc991ac6626fff948">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;mega-bill passed this summer and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-food-stamps-6542e448a2f6ed7b93ab8f7fe84ac53a">extend tax credits</a>&nbsp;that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.</p><p>Republicans called the Democratic proposal a nonstarter that would cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion.</p><p>Neither side shows any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">signs of budging</a>.</p><p>Here’s what to know about the shutdown that began Wednesday:</p><h2>What happens in the shutdown?</h2><p>Now that a lapse in funding has occurred, the law requires agencies to furlough their “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees, who include those who work to protect life and property, stay on the job but don’t get paid until after the shutdown ends.</p><p>The White House Office of Management and Budget begins the process with instructions to agencies that a lapse in appropriations has occurred and they should initiate orderly shutdown activities. That memo went out Tuesday evening.</p><p>The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation at roughly $400 million.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo AP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>What government work continues during a shutdown?</h2><p>A great deal, actually.</p><p>FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers and agents operating airport checkpoints keep working. So do members of the Armed Forces.</p><p>Those programs that rely on mandatory spending generally continue during a shutdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-data-department-of-government-efficiency-f8b842c3eeaea5a304c690fba9b032ef">Social Security payments</a>&nbsp;still go out. Seniors relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-trust-fund-trump-74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3">Medicare coverage</a>&nbsp;can still see their doctors and health care providers can be reimbursed.</p><p>Veteran health care also continues during a shutdown. Veterans Affairs medical centers and outpatient clinics will be open, and VA benefits will be processed and delivered. Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries.</p><h2>Will furloughed federal workers get paid?</h2><p>Yes. In 2019, Congress passed a bill enshrining into law the requirement that furloughed employees get retroactive pay once operations resume.</p><p>While they’ll eventually get paid, the furloughed workers and those who remain on the job may have to go without one or more of their regular paychecks, depending upon how long the shutdown lasts.</p><p>Service members would also receive back pay for missed paychecks once federal funding resumes.</p><h2>Will I still get mail?</h2><p>Yes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-postal-services-us-suspended-tariffs-d74eb6022e8838f39bba8ed9588c74ba">The U.S. Postal Service</a>&nbsp;is unaffected by a government shutdown. It’s an independent entity funded through the sale of its products and services, not by tax dollars.</p><h2>What closes during a shutdown?</h2><p>All administrations get some leeway to choose which services to freeze or maintain in a shutdown.</p><p>The first Trump administration worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/66b50739f4b84063a2ff56dff3156712">blunt the impact</a>&nbsp;of what became the country’s longest partial shutdown in 2018 and 2019. But on Tuesday, Trump threatened the possibility of increasing the pain that comes with a shutdown.</p><p>“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them,” Trump said of Democrats. “Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”</p><p>Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan. The plans outline which workers would stay on the job during a shutdown and which would be furloughed.</p><p>In a provocative move, the Office of Management and Budget has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">threatened the mass firing</a>&nbsp;of federal workers in a shutdown. An OMB memo said those programs that didn’t get funding through Trump’s mega-bill this summer would bear the brunt of a shutdown.</p><p>Agencies should consider issuing reduction-in-force notices for those programs whose funding expires, that don’t have alternative funding sources and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” the memo said.</p><p>That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when furloughed federal workers returned to their jobs once the shutdown was over. A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions, which would trigger another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that’s already faced major rounds of cuts due to efforts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-federal-takeover-economy-5a81e02a246995a066db375eb47c5692">the Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere in Trump’s Republican administration.</p><h2>What agencies are planning</h2><p>—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy-2026-hhs-contingency-staffing-plan/index.html">Health and Human Services</a>&nbsp;will furlough about 41% of its staff out of nearly 80,000 employees, according to a contingency plan posted on its website.</p><p>As part of that plan, the Atlanta-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;would continue to monitor disease outbreaks, while activities that will stop include research into health risks and ways to prevent illness.</p><p>Meanwhile, research and patient care at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-institutes-of-health-research-cuts-6b69c254bc245f0ec1c7ddf1af74281f">National Institutes of Health</a>&nbsp;would be upended. Patients currently enrolled in studies at the research-only hospital nicknamed the House of Hope will continue to receive care. Additional sick patients hoping for access to experimental therapies can’t enroll except in special circumstances, and no new studies will begin.</p><p>At the Food and Drug Administration, its “ability to protect and promote public health and safety would be significantly impacted, with many activities delayed or paused.” For example, the agency would not accept new drug applications or medical device submissions that require payment of a user fee.</p><p>— The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harriet-tubman-park-service-trump-dei-a8dbb6fa252518d0598aad5f0ce6f1ab">National Park Service</a>&nbsp;plans to furlough about two-thirds of its employees while keeping parks largely open to visitors during the federal shutdown, according to a contingency plan released Tuesday night. The plan says “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.”</p><p>The plan also allows parks to enter into agreements with states, tribes or local governments willing to make donations to keep national park sites open. The park service has more than 400 sites, including large national parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, national battlefields and historic sites.</p><p>Sites could close if damage is being done to park resources or garbage is building up.</p><p>Many national parks including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-barack-obama-wyoming-lifestyle-c3df56fd72be4ed48a2b8066f365f900">Yellowstone and Yosemite stayed open</a>&nbsp;during a 35-day shutdown during Trump’s first term. Limited staffing led to vandalism, gates being pried open and other problems including an off-roader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e28b313197bb46bebef0faca24b333ed">mowing down one of the namesake trees</a>&nbsp;at Joshua Tree National Park in California.</p><p>—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-trump-history-museum-teachers-3bfba38c574e9b72824f5b4c4f633d52">Smithsonian Institution</a>: Museums, research centers and the National Zoo will remain open through at least Monday.</p><h2>Impact on the economy</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/congressional-budget-office-swagel-trump-bill-3a76f5ce1f7bd02c1dac2269d87d91db">Phillip Swagel</a>, director of the Congressional Budget Office, said a short shutdown doesn’t have a huge impact on the economy, especially since federal workers, by law, are paid retroactively. But “if a shutdown continues, then that can give rise to uncertainties about what is the role of government in our society, and what’s the financial impact on all the programs that the government funds.”</p><p>“The impact is not immediate, but over time, there is a negative impact of a shutdown on the economy,” he added.</p><p>Markets haven’t reacted strongly to past shutdowns, according to Goldman Sachs Research. At the close of the three prolonged shutdowns since the early 1990s, equity markets finished flat or up even after dipping initially.</p><p>A governmentwide shutdown would directly reduce growth by around 0.15 percentage points for each week it lasted, or about 0.2 percentage points per week once private-sector effects were included, and growth would rise by the same cumulative amount in the quarter following reopening, writes Alec Phillips, chief U.S. political economist at Goldman Sachs.</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer Ali Swenson, Fatima Hussein, Matthew Brown and Annie Ma contributed to this report.</p>

What happens now that a government shutdown is underway

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On September 27, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of unlawful sexual solicitation involving an 18-year-old girl.

According to the report a 58-year-old man requested to meet with the young woman near Eskridge, Kansas last week, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

 During the brief meeting, the suspect is alleged to have provided the victim with cash and a condom and is alleged to have solicited her. Deputies met with the victim, collected evidence and initiated a proactive investigation. 

Due to evidence collected during this WBSO proactive investigative action to include the totality of circumstances and objective reasonableness on On September 30. , the suspect, identified as JD Hill of Eskridge was taken into custody without incident. 

&nbsp;Hill was transported to WBCO Jail where he is presently confined on a $5,000 bond on requested charges of (Attempted) Buying Sexual Relations, Hiring a person to engage. The case will be forwarded to the Wabaunsee County Attorney for review of formal charges.

<p>WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.</p><p>On September 27, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of unlawful sexual solicitation involving an 18-year-old girl.</p><p>According to the report a 58-year-old man requested to meet with the young woman near Eskridge, Kansas last week, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.</p><p> During the brief meeting, the suspect is alleged to have provided the victim with cash and a condom and is alleged to have solicited her. Deputies met with the victim, collected evidence and initiated a proactive investigation. </p><p>Due to evidence collected during this WBSO proactive investigative action to include the totality of circumstances and objective reasonableness on On September 30. , the suspect, identified as JD Hill of Eskridge was taken into custody without incident. </p><p>&nbsp;Hill was transported to WBCO Jail where he is presently confined on a $5,000 bond on requested charges of (Attempted) Buying Sexual Relations, Hiring a person to engage. The case will be forwarded to the Wabaunsee County Attorney for review of formal charges.</p>

58-year-old Kan. man accused of sex crimes involving teen

<b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Kansas district court judge on Tuesday dismissed a case filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach that challenged the right of Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration to withhold Kansans’ personal data from the federal government.

In a 21-page order, Judge Teresa Watson sided with Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard, citing multiple issues with Kobach’s request to force the release of data related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The federal government’s Food and Nutrition Services program in May began demanding the release of personal information of people who have applied for or used the SNAP program.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/30/state-officials-again-refuse-to-release-kansans-personal-data-to-usda/">Howard repeatedly denied the release</a>, pointing to regulations guiding how data should be shared between agencies.

Kobach took&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/19/sad-political-stunt-lawsuit-between-kobach-kansas-governor-heats-up/">Howard and the state to court</a>&nbsp;to force the release of the data, indicating in court filings that he believes compliance is required by state and federal law. He also expressed concern that $10.4 million related to SNAP administrative funding would be withheld from Kansas by the federal government because of the failure to turn over the data.

“We disagree with the judge’s interpretation of ripeness and are considering an appeal. Regardless, the governor continues to defy Kansas law,” Kobach said in a statement to Kansas Reflector. “Needy Kansans have now lost $10.4 million in food assistance because of her political theatrics. That money is not coming back.”

Ripeness refers to part of Watson’s reasoning for choosing to dismiss the case and refers to whether a case is developed and appropriate to be heard.

Watson said the ripeness requirement prevents courts from becoming entangled in abstract disagreements. In this case, she found that because the state has filed an appeal and the full administrative review process has not been completed, the case is not “ripe.”

Kelly, in a news release, accused Kobach of engaging in “low-rent political theater, wasting taxpayer dollars, and spreading misinformation.” She emphasized that no money has been lost from federal funding for SNAP administrative costs.

“I appreciate the court granting my administration’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that the Attorney General’s actions were premature as we continue through the USDA’s administrative review process and that my administration does not have a legal duty to turn over Kansans’ personal information at this time,” Kelly said.

Watson stated in her decision that considering the duties of Howard and the Kansas administration to work with the federal program doesn’t mean that they must “perform in a prescribed manner without regard to the exercise of judgment.”

The Food and Nutrition Services department offers a multi-step administrative process to appeal the decisions to withhold any dollars from Kansas, and the state has filed an appeal, Watson said.

“The comprehensive administrative review available for the disallowance itself (suggests) that the state agency has some discretion in deciding how to respond to the request for SNAP participant data — or at least gives rise to the possibility of a ‘substantial dispute’ about how to respond,” Watson wrote.

Kelly’s news release said Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/22/kansas-governors-office-disputes-accuracy-of-kobachs-claims-about-snap-funding/">made false claims</a>&nbsp;multiple times that the state has lost $10.4 million in administrative funding.

“After the (U.S. Department of Agriculture) rejected the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Corrective Action Proposal, DCF filed an appeal with the USDA,” the news release said. “The filing of that appeal immediately prevented the USDA from withholding the $10.4 million.”

“It is laughable to suggest that she will be able to persuade the USDA to change its decision,” he said. “And now, because of the governor’s desire to thumb her nose at the Trump administration, needy Kansans will lose another $10.4 million of food assistance in December.”

The $10.4 million funding loss, if upheld after the appeal, will occur quarterly until the state turns over the data, according to a USDA letter sent to the state. The dollars are designated for administrative cost and do not affect SNAP recipients.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759281317592.png" alt=" A Kansas District Court Judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach attempting to force Gov. Laura Kelly's administration to turn over food program data to the federal government. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> A Kansas District Court Judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach attempting to force Gov. Laura Kelly's administration to turn over food program data to the federal government. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a></p><p>TOPEKA — A Kansas district court judge on Tuesday dismissed a case filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach that challenged the right of Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration to withhold Kansans’ personal data from the federal government.</p><p>In a 21-page order, Judge Teresa Watson sided with Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard, citing multiple issues with Kobach’s request to force the release of data related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.</p><p>The federal government’s Food and Nutrition Services program in May began demanding the release of personal information of people who have applied for or used the SNAP program.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/30/state-officials-again-refuse-to-release-kansans-personal-data-to-usda/">Howard repeatedly denied the release</a>, pointing to regulations guiding how data should be shared between agencies.</p><p>Kobach took&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/19/sad-political-stunt-lawsuit-between-kobach-kansas-governor-heats-up/">Howard and the state to court</a>&nbsp;to force the release of the data, indicating in court filings that he believes compliance is required by state and federal law. He also expressed concern that $10.4 million related to SNAP administrative funding would be withheld from Kansas by the federal government because of the failure to turn over the data.</p><p>“We disagree with the judge’s interpretation of ripeness and are considering an appeal. Regardless, the governor continues to defy Kansas law,” Kobach said in a statement to Kansas Reflector. “Needy Kansans have now lost $10.4 million in food assistance because of her political theatrics. That money is not coming back.”</p><p>Ripeness refers to part of Watson’s reasoning for choosing to dismiss the case and refers to whether a case is developed and appropriate to be heard.</p><p>Watson said the ripeness requirement prevents courts from becoming entangled in abstract disagreements. In this case, she found that because the state has filed an appeal and the full administrative review process has not been completed, the case is not “ripe.”</p><p>Kelly, in a news release, accused Kobach of engaging in “low-rent political theater, wasting taxpayer dollars, and spreading misinformation.” She emphasized that no money has been lost from federal funding for SNAP administrative costs.</p><p>“I appreciate the court granting my administration’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that the Attorney General’s actions were premature as we continue through the USDA’s administrative review process and that my administration does not have a legal duty to turn over Kansans’ personal information at this time,” Kelly said.</p><p>Watson stated in her decision that considering the duties of Howard and the Kansas administration to work with the federal program doesn’t mean that they must “perform in a prescribed manner without regard to the exercise of judgment.”</p><p>The Food and Nutrition Services department offers a multi-step administrative process to appeal the decisions to withhold any dollars from Kansas, and the state has filed an appeal, Watson said.</p><p>“The comprehensive administrative review available for the disallowance itself (suggests) that the state agency has some discretion in deciding how to respond to the request for SNAP participant data — or at least gives rise to the possibility of a ‘substantial dispute’ about how to respond,” Watson wrote.</p><p>Kelly’s news release said Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/22/kansas-governors-office-disputes-accuracy-of-kobachs-claims-about-snap-funding/">made false claims</a>&nbsp;multiple times that the state has lost $10.4 million in administrative funding.</p><p>“After the (U.S. Department of Agriculture) rejected the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Corrective Action Proposal, DCF filed an appeal with the USDA,” the news release said. “The filing of that appeal immediately prevented the USDA from withholding the $10.4 million.”</p><p>Kobach disagreed.&nbsp;</p><p>“It is laughable to suggest that she will be able to persuade the USDA to change its decision,” he said. “And now, because of the governor’s desire to thumb her nose at the Trump administration, needy Kansans will lose another $10.4 million of food assistance in December.”</p><p>The $10.4 million funding loss, if upheld after the appeal, will occur quarterly until the state turns over the data, according to a USDA letter sent to the state. The dollars are designated for administrative cost and do not affect SNAP recipients.&nbsp;</p>

Kansas judge dismisses lawsuit over governor’s refusal to give food program data to feds

The government shutdown has begun after Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Members of the Kansas Congressional delegation responded to the stalemate.

<p>The government shutdown has begun after Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Members of the Kansas Congressional delegation responded to the stalemate.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Appropriating is one of the primary responsibilities and necessities of the United States Senate. This is simple and straightforward. <br> <br>Tonight, Senate Democrats chose partisan issues over keeping the government open and hindered our ability to do the job that the American… <a href="https://t.co/QVvd2nFp5r">pic.twitter.com/QVvd2nFp5r</a></p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1973185212277490072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Folks can visit <a href="https://t.co/EnP9ZApFyh">https://t.co/EnP9ZApFyh</a> for helpful resources or to share their stories. My team is ready to help however we can.</p>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1973236667390837066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/Hdqfg2OW61">pic.twitter.com/Hdqfg2OW61</a></p>&mdash; Rep. Derek Schmidt Press (@RepDerekSchmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt/status/1973184151965802850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, Chuck Schumer chose his political livelihood over the American people.<br><br>Losing an election means you don’t get to make $1 trillion ultimatums. <a href="https://t.co/7B6Q8mfMDX">pic.twitter.com/7B6Q8mfMDX</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1973204568340308265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If Washington Democrats succeed in shutting down the government, our service members don’t get paid, our veterans will receive delayed health care, and vulnerable moms won’t get WIC.<br><br>We should keep the government open, not force taxpayers to fund health care for illegal… <a href="https://t.co/1wKLoOLW2V">pic.twitter.com/1wKLoOLW2V</a></p>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1973169739762458882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">House Republicans passed a clean funding bill two weeks ago. Our Senate Republican colleagues want to pass it too.<br><br>A potential shutdown will be a Schumer Shutdown, created by Chuck Schumer and extremists in his party. <a href="https://t.co/Z7RxpwHHoH">https://t.co/Z7RxpwHHoH</a></p>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1973160854968475903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Kansas lawmakers respond to government shutdown

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating an aggravated battery at a memory care facility involving residents of the facility. 

Shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday, emergency services were called to a long-term care facility near 75th and Switzer Road in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy. 

Upon arrival, Johnson County Emergency Medical Services determined there were two residents who were in need of medical care. EMS responders transported them to a local hospital. One of the involved residents, a 66-year-old man, received life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. A second resident, a 71-year-old man, had non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation led detectives to believe a third resident was responsible for the injuries to the other two residents. The suspect, an 84-year-old man, is being evaluated at a local hospital and is pending disposition. He is cooperating with investigators.

Staff from the long-term care facility are cooperating with the investigation. The families of the involved subjects have been notified and requested privacy at this time. 

<p>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating an aggravated battery at a memory care facility involving residents of the facility. </p><p>Shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday, emergency services were called to a long-term care facility near 75th and Switzer Road in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy. </p><p>Upon arrival, Johnson County Emergency Medical Services determined there were two residents who were in need of medical care. EMS responders transported them to a local hospital. One of the involved residents, a 66-year-old man, received life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. A second resident, a 71-year-old man, had non-life-threatening injuries.</p><p>The investigation led detectives to believe a third resident was responsible for the injuries to the other two residents. The suspect, an 84-year-old man, is being evaluated at a local hospital and is pending disposition. He is cooperating with investigators.</p><p>Staff from the long-term care facility are cooperating with the investigation. The families of the involved subjects have been notified and requested privacy at this time. </p>

Police: 2 injured after assault at Kan. memory care facility 

SEDGWICK COUNTY– A 23-year-old man of Wichita is in extremely critical condition after being shot during a disturbance early Tuesday morning at a QuikTrip in southwest Wichita. A 16-year-old juvenile suspect of Wichita has been taken into custody.

Just before 3a.m., police responded to the shooting in the QuikTrip parking lot at Pawnee and Meridian in Wichita, according to a media release.

 Investigators learned several people were involved in an argument that turned physical. During the altercation, the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot the victim.

A passerby attempted life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital. The victim underwent surgery and remains in extremely critical condition.

The 16-year-old suspect was booked into juvenile detention on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building and Juvenile in possession of a firearm

Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his frustration with the ongoing violence involving juveniles and firearms.

“This has got to stop. It is unacceptable for juveniles to have access to guns,” Sullivan said. “Picking up a firearm to solve a temporary problem is not the answer. Too many lives are being destroyed by these reckless choices.”&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759266308458.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY– A 23-year-old man of Wichita is in extremely critical condition after being shot during a disturbance early Tuesday morning at a QuikTrip in southwest Wichita. A 16-year-old juvenile suspect of Wichita has been taken into custody.</p><p>Just before 3a.m., police responded to the shooting in the QuikTrip parking lot at Pawnee and Meridian in Wichita, according to a media release.</p><p> Investigators learned several people were involved in an argument that turned physical. During the altercation, the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot the victim.</p><p>A passerby attempted life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital. The victim underwent surgery and remains in extremely critical condition.</p><p>The 16-year-old suspect was booked into juvenile detention on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building and Juvenile in possession of a firearm</p><p>Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his frustration with the ongoing violence involving juveniles and firearms.</p><p>“This has got to stop. It is unacceptable for juveniles to have access to guns,” Sullivan said. “Picking up a firearm to solve a temporary problem is not the answer. Too many lives are being destroyed by these reckless choices.”&nbsp;</p>

Police: 16-year-old shot man in Kansas store parking lot fight

WASHINGTON<b> –&nbsp;</b>U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday evening spoke on the Senate floor after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels until November 21 and avert a government shutdown. The final vote was 55 – 45 but required 60 votes for passage.

“We are coming to the end of the fiscal year, and not all of the appropriations bills have been approved, although almost all of them have been approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations and several have been passed here in the United States Senate,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.

“Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Every local unit of government at home can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time. A shutdown means uncertainty; a shutdown means dysfunction. The issue is the continuing resolution that would fund the federal government until November 21 and is designed to avoid that disfunction, avoid that uncertainty. All that’s required is that we pass the continuing resolution, 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, to keep government functioning, so that we can then pass the remaining appropriations bills.”

“We can’t pass a continuing resolution because there are those who want to bring other issues into the bill,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.<b>&nbsp;</b>“Seems to me that appropriating is one of the primary responsibilities and necessities of the United States Senate. This is simple and straightforward.”

The Senate Committee on Appropriations has passed 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, and for the first time since 2019, the U.S. Senate passed three of the appropriations bills before the August state work period.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759280046688.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during the vote count on the Continuing&nbsp; Resolution -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during the vote count on the Continuing&nbsp; Resolution -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON<b> –&nbsp;</b>U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday evening spoke on the Senate floor after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels until November 21 and avert a government shutdown. The final vote was 55 – 45 but required 60 votes for passage.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9pnn_uQfkLA?si=biSMq9PZomTYwzY1&amp;start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>“We are coming to the end of the fiscal year, and not all of the appropriations bills have been approved, although almost all of them have been approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations and several have been passed here in the United States Senate,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.</p><p>“Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Every local unit of government at home can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time. A shutdown means uncertainty; a shutdown means dysfunction. The issue is the continuing resolution that would fund the federal government until November 21 and is designed to avoid that disfunction, avoid that uncertainty. All that’s required is that we pass the continuing resolution, 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, to keep government functioning, so that we can then pass the remaining appropriations bills.”</p><p>“We can’t pass a continuing resolution because there are those who want to bring other issues into the bill,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.<b>&nbsp;</b>“Seems to me that appropriating is one of the primary responsibilities and necessities of the United States Senate. This is simple and straightforward.”</p><p>The Senate Committee on Appropriations has passed 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, and for the first time since 2019, the U.S. Senate passed three of the appropriations bills before the August state work period.</p>

🎥Moran: The U.S. Senate is failing one more time

WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunged into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-chuck-schumer-20e54a0f5e4fee909d0f9ea2c07c15e1">government shutdown</a>, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">failed to strike an agreement</a>&nbsp;to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9b62-d3e5-a399-ff7b4ce10000">750,000 federal workers</a>&nbsp;are expected to be furloughed, some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9c25-d394-abb9-bf2ff8a90000">potentially fired</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration. Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/effects-of-government-shutdown-donald-trump-4a16fc477eb67b7cf7ac708e578146e3">offices will be shuttered</a>, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=ap%2C+deportations&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1151US1151&amp;oq=ap%2C+deportations&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABgKGBYYHjILCAUQABgWGB4YxwMyCwgGEAAYFhgeGMcDMgYIBxBFGEHSAQgzMzAxajBqN6gCCLACAfEFvyEijmQRltw&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deportation agenda</a>&nbsp;is expected to run full speed ahead, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9ca5-d8db-af9f-bcbfbbfc0000">education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9b5d-d3e5-a399-ff7d80870000">environmental</a>&nbsp;and other services sputter. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9ca8-d073-abdf-ddfdfb520000">economic fallout</a>&nbsp;is expected to ripple nationwide.

“We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-democrats-health-care-blame-ee852953197b7b59f3447aa3a2167ac0">the president</a>, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-chuck-schumer-8510b2fa4d40c4bbc058951c49c42468">met privately with congressional leadership</a>&nbsp;this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.

This is the third time Trump has presided over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">federal funding lapse</a>, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hardline positions rather than more traditional compromises.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">Democrats picked this fight</a>, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-congress-chuck-schumer-government-funding-shutdown-43d1acea20c34ad28d848edc08ad6375">eager to challenge</a>&nbsp;the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">costs of insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;nationwide.

Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">refused to negotiate</a>&nbsp;for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9afd-d8db-af9f-baff3ed90000">widely viewed as unserious and racist</a>.

What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.

“What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.

Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”

Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide

An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.

While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.

“There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.

Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">mass firings</a>&nbsp;of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.

The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.

But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-national-parks-burgum-superintendents-trash-b5109ba06f1cb3baef9370f585650136">former national park superintendents</a>&nbsp;urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.

Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.

But that bill has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">failed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>&nbsp;has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.

The standoff is a political test for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer</a>, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.

“Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

“They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”

Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.

During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunged into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-chuck-schumer-20e54a0f5e4fee909d0f9ea2c07c15e1">government shutdown</a>, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">failed to strike an agreement</a>&nbsp;to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.</p><p>Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9b62-d3e5-a399-ff7b4ce10000">750,000 federal workers</a>&nbsp;are expected to be furloughed, some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9c25-d394-abb9-bf2ff8a90000">potentially fired</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration. Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/effects-of-government-shutdown-donald-trump-4a16fc477eb67b7cf7ac708e578146e3">offices will be shuttered</a>, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=ap%2C+deportations&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1151US1151&amp;oq=ap%2C+deportations&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABgKGBYYHjILCAUQABgWGB4YxwMyCwgGEAAYFhgeGMcDMgYIBxBFGEHSAQgzMzAxajBqN6gCCLACAfEFvyEijmQRltw&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deportation agenda</a>&nbsp;is expected to run full speed ahead, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9ca5-d8db-af9f-bcbfbbfc0000">education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9b5d-d3e5-a399-ff7d80870000">environmental</a>&nbsp;and other services sputter. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9ca8-d073-abdf-ddfdfb520000">economic fallout</a>&nbsp;is expected to ripple nationwide.</p><p>“We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.</p><p>But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-democrats-health-care-blame-ee852953197b7b59f3447aa3a2167ac0">the president</a>, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-chuck-schumer-8510b2fa4d40c4bbc058951c49c42468">met privately with congressional leadership</a>&nbsp;this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.</p><p>This is the third time Trump has presided over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">federal funding lapse</a>, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hardline positions rather than more traditional compromises.</p><h2>Plenty of blame being thrown around</h2><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">Democrats picked this fight</a>, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-congress-chuck-schumer-government-funding-shutdown-43d1acea20c34ad28d848edc08ad6375">eager to challenge</a>&nbsp;the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">costs of insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;nationwide.</p><p>Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">refused to negotiate</a>&nbsp;for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-30-2025#00000199-9afd-d8db-af9f-baff3ed90000">widely viewed as unserious and racist</a>.</p><p>What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.</p><p>“What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.</p><p>Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”</p><h2>Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide</h2><p>An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.</p><p>While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.</p><p>“There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.</p><p>Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">mass firings</a>&nbsp;of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.</p><h2>What’s staying open and shutting down</h2><p>The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.</p><p>But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”</p><p>As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-national-parks-burgum-superintendents-trash-b5109ba06f1cb3baef9370f585650136">former national park superintendents</a>&nbsp;urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.</p><h2>No easy exit as health care costs soar</h2><p>Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.</p><p>But that bill has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">failed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>&nbsp;has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.</p><p>The standoff is a political test for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer</a>, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.</p><p>“Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.</p><p>“They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”</p><p>Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.</p><p>During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.</p><p>In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.</p><p>___</p>

First closure of US government since 2018 begins 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Authorities are still investigating the cause of a fire that took the life of a 15-year-old, authorities reported on Tuesday.

Just before 6p.m. September 25, the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department responded to the apartment fire on South 71st Street, according to a media release.

First responders observed smoke coming from the upper apartment windows and were told someone may still be inside. Firefighters found an unresponsive 15-year-old boy on the second floor of the unit.

He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased abound 90 minutes later. A resident was transported to a hospital for treatment of lacerations from breaking a window to help another resident. That occupant was also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.&nbsp;One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

<p>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Authorities are still investigating the cause of a fire that took the life of a 15-year-old, authorities reported on Tuesday.</p><p>Just before 6p.m. September 25, the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department responded to the apartment fire on South 71st Street, according to a media release.</p><p>First responders observed smoke coming from the upper apartment windows and were told someone may still be inside. Firefighters found an unresponsive 15-year-old boy on the second floor of the unit.</p><p>He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased abound 90 minutes later. A resident was transported to a hospital for treatment of lacerations from breaking a window to help another resident. That occupant was also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.&nbsp;One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.</p>

15-year-old dies in Kansas apartment fire

MONTGMERY COUNTY— Two suspects injured in a crash during a police chase in Montgomery County are now in jail.

Four people were injured in the accident that occurred just after 4p.m. on September 26.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.

After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.

EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri, O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.&nbsp; Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094141027.png" alt="Wasson photo Montgomery County" />
                        <figcaption>Wasson photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MONTGMERY COUNTY— Two suspects injured in a crash during a police chase in Montgomery County are now in jail.</p><p>Four people were injured in the accident that occurred just after 4p.m. on September 26.</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094019310.png" alt="Mayberry photo Montgomery County." />
                        <figcaption>Mayberry photo Montgomery County.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.</p><p>EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri, O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.&nbsp; Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.</p>

Suspects in KHP chase, crash moved from hospital to jail

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines public schools superintendent who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-des-moines-schools-ice-arrest-510efff3950a1890a384e1b3e0c8b5a3">detained by immigration authorities</a>&nbsp;submitted his resignation Tuesday while he focuses on challenging his looming deportation, his lawyer said.

Ian Roberts had been under the impression from a prior attorney that his immigration case was “resolved successfully,” said attorney Alfredo Parrish. His law firm filed a request to stay Roberts’ deportation with an immigration court in Omaha, Nebraska, and was working on another motion to reopen the educator’s immigration proceedings.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">detained Roberts last week</a>, saying the Guyana native and former Olympic runner was living and working in the country illegally. A state board stripped Roberts’ license to be superintendent.

The Des Moines school board voted Monday to put Roberts on unpaid leave from his job leading the district, which has more than 30,000 students.

Roberts submitted a letter through his attorney announcing his immediate resignation Tuesday, saying he did not want to distract the district’s leaders and teachers from focusing on educating students.

Board chair Jackie Norris had given Roberts until noon Tuesday to provide documentation showing he can legally work in the U.S., or face dismissal proceedings. The board plans to hold a special meeting Tuesday night to consider whether to accept the resignation.

The backlash from the arrest was far from over.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced Tuesday that it would investigate whether the district has engaged in racial discrimination by favoring non-white applicants as part of a plan to “increase the number of teachers of color.” A district spokesperson said the matter was under review.

Roberts, 54, is being held at the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, Iowa, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines.

Parrish described Roberts as a “tremendous advocate to this community” who was an inspiration to students, and he thanked the public for an outpouring of support. Parrish said he and other lawyers spoke with Roberts for hours Tuesday and “his spirits are high.”

Parrish cautioned that it was a “very complex case” that will take time to investigate. He acknowledged Roberts could face deportation at any moment and it was uncertain whether his new appeals would be considered by the court.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also investigating how Roberts obtained a handgun that was allegedly found in his district vehicle during last week’s arrest. That case could lead to federal charges.

The office of U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican who represents the Des Moines area, released a redacted excerpt of Roberts’ May 2024 removal order Tuesday after obtaining the document through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The document alleges that Roberts was provided notice to appear at a removal hearing but failed to show up or otherwise apply for other relief.

An immigration judge found the Department of Homeland Security had submitted evidence to support its allegations that Roberts was subject to removal. The judge ordered Roberts to make arrangements to voluntarily leave the U.S. or face deportation.

Parrish affirmed his client was born in Guyana but did not say whether he’d ever applied for U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency, when his work authorization may have expired, and what happened during the removal proceedings last year.

However, he released a letter dated March 2025 that he said was from Roberts’ prior attorney in Texas informing her client the case had been closed in his favor.

“It has been my pleasure to represent you throughout this process, and I am pleased to report that your case has reached a successful resolution,” Texas attorney Jackeline Gonzalez wrote.

An aide to Gonzalez confirmed the law firm had represented Roberts but gave no immediate comment.

Norris, the school board chair, said the district had not been notified of the removal order until it received a copy Monday.

She said Roberts signed a form attesting that he was a U.S. citizen when he was hired in 2023, and submitted a Social Security card and a driver’s license as verification.

When Roberts was cited for traffic violations in the Des Moines area in 2023 and 2024, he presented a Maryland driver’s license in each case, the tickets show. But the licenses listed different addresses.

Roberts has been registered to vote at one of the addresses since at least 2017, according to a Maryland voter registration database. The Maryland Board of Elections said Roberts’ registration may have been unintentional, and a review “did not show any voting history.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925503158.png" alt="Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE" />
                        <figcaption>Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines public schools superintendent who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-des-moines-schools-ice-arrest-510efff3950a1890a384e1b3e0c8b5a3">detained by immigration authorities</a>&nbsp;submitted his resignation Tuesday while he focuses on challenging his looming deportation, his lawyer said.</p><p>Ian Roberts had been under the impression from a prior attorney that his immigration case was “resolved successfully,” said attorney Alfredo Parrish. His law firm filed a request to stay Roberts’ deportation with an immigration court in Omaha, Nebraska, and was working on another motion to reopen the educator’s immigration proceedings.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759275598772.png" alt="Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts made remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Lincoln High School’s new athletic complex Aug. 21, 2025 in Des Moines. (Photo courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)" />
                        <figcaption>Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts made remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Lincoln High School’s new athletic complex Aug. 21, 2025 in Des Moines. (Photo courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">detained Roberts last week</a>, saying the Guyana native and former Olympic runner was living and working in the country illegally. A state board stripped Roberts’ license to be superintendent.</p><p>The Des Moines school board voted Monday to put Roberts on unpaid leave from his job leading the district, which has more than 30,000 students.</p><p>Roberts submitted a letter through his attorney announcing his immediate resignation Tuesday, saying he did not want to distract the district’s leaders and teachers from focusing on educating students.</p><p>Board chair Jackie Norris had given Roberts until noon Tuesday to provide documentation showing he can legally work in the U.S., or face dismissal proceedings. The board plans to hold a special meeting Tuesday night to consider whether to accept the resignation.</p><p>The backlash from the arrest was far from over.</p><p>The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced Tuesday that it would investigate whether the district has engaged in racial discrimination by favoring non-white applicants as part of a plan to “increase the number of teachers of color.” A district spokesperson said the matter was under review.</p><p>Roberts, 54, is being held at the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, Iowa, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines.</p><p>Parrish described Roberts as a “tremendous advocate to this community” who was an inspiration to students, and he thanked the public for an outpouring of support. Parrish said he and other lawyers spoke with Roberts for hours Tuesday and “his spirits are high.”</p><p>Parrish cautioned that it was a “very complex case” that will take time to investigate. He acknowledged Roberts could face deportation at any moment and it was uncertain whether his new appeals would be considered by the court.</p><p>The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also investigating how Roberts obtained a handgun that was allegedly found in his district vehicle during last week’s arrest. That case could lead to federal charges.</p><p>The office of U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican who represents the Des Moines area, released a redacted excerpt of Roberts’ May 2024 removal order Tuesday after obtaining the document through a Freedom of Information Act request.</p><p>The document alleges that Roberts was provided notice to appear at a removal hearing but failed to show up or otherwise apply for other relief.</p><p>An immigration judge found the Department of Homeland Security had submitted evidence to support its allegations that Roberts was subject to removal. The judge ordered Roberts to make arrangements to voluntarily leave the U.S. or face deportation.</p><p>Parrish affirmed his client was born in Guyana but did not say whether he’d ever applied for U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency, when his work authorization may have expired, and what happened during the removal proceedings last year.</p><p>However, he released a letter dated March 2025 that he said was from Roberts’ prior attorney in Texas informing her client the case had been closed in his favor.</p><p>“It has been my pleasure to represent you throughout this process, and I am pleased to report that your case has reached a successful resolution,” Texas attorney Jackeline Gonzalez wrote.</p><p>An aide to Gonzalez confirmed the law firm had represented Roberts but gave no immediate comment.</p><p>Norris, the school board chair, said the district had not been notified of the removal order until it received a copy Monday.</p><p>She said Roberts signed a form attesting that he was a U.S. citizen when he was hired in 2023, and submitted a Social Security card and a driver’s license as verification.</p><p>When Roberts was cited for traffic violations in the Des Moines area in 2023 and 2024, he presented a Maryland driver’s license in each case, the tickets show. But the licenses listed different addresses.</p><p>Roberts has been registered to vote at one of the addresses since at least 2017, according to a Maryland voter registration database. The Maryland Board of Elections said Roberts’ registration may have been unintentional, and a review “did not show any voting history.”</p><p>___</p>

Iowa school leader resigns while he challenges deportation order

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>&nbsp;after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.

The Senate rejected the legislation as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. The 55-45 vote on a bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans are trying to “bully” Democrats by refusing to negotiate on an extension of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits</a>&nbsp;that expire at the end of the year.

“We hope they sit down with us and talk," Schumer said after the vote. "Otherwise, it’s the Republicans will be driving us straight towards a shutdown tonight at midnight. The American people will blame them for bringing the federal government to a halt.”

The failure of Congress to keep the government open means that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">laid off</a>. After the vote, the White House's Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.”

Threatening retribution to Democrats, Trump said Tuesday that a shutdown could include “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

Trump and his fellow Republicans said they won’t entertain any changes to the legislation, arguing that it’s a stripped-down, “clean” bill that should be noncontroversial. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “we can reopen it tomorrow” if enough Democrats break party lines.

The last shutdown was in Trump’s first term, from December 2018 to January 2019, when he demanded that Congress give him money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">retreated after 35 days</a>&nbsp;— the longest shutdown ever — amid intensifying airport delays and missed paydays for federal workers.

Democrats take a stand against Trump, with exceptions

While partisan stalemates over government spending are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">a frequent occurrence in Washington</a>, the current impasse comes as Democrats see a rare opportunity to use their leverage to achieve policy goals and as their base voters are spoiling for a fight with Trump. Republicans who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate needed at least eight votes from Democrats after Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed the bill.

Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted with Republicans to keep the government open — giving Republicans hope that there might be five more who will eventually come around and help end a shutdown.

After the vote, King warned against “permanent damage” as Trump and his administration have threatened mass layoffs.

“Instead of fighting Trump we're actually empowering him, which is what finally drove my decision,” King said.

Thune predicted Democratic support for the GOP bill will increase "when they realize that this is playing a losing hand.”

The stakes are huge for federal workers across the country as the White House told agencies last week that they should consider “a reduction in force” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/effects-of-government-shutdown-donald-trump-4a16fc477eb67b7cf7ac708e578146e3">many federal programs if the government shuts down</a>. That means that workers who are not deemed essential could be fired instead of just furloughed.

Either way, most would not get paid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in a letter to Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Tuesday that around 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.

Federal agencies were already preparing. On the home page of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a large pop up ad reads, “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people.”

Democrats want to negotiate an extension of the health subsidies immediately as people are beginning to receive notices of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">premium increases</a>&nbsp;for the next year. Millions of people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could face higher costs as expanded subsidies first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expire.

Democrats have also demanded that Republicans reverse the Medicaid cuts that were enacted as a part of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” this summer and for the White House to promise it will not move to rescind spending passed by Congress.

“We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

Thune pressed Democrats to vote for the funding bill and take up the debate on tax credits later. Some Republicans are open to extending the tax credits, but many are strongly opposed to it.

In rare, pointed back-and-forth with Schumer on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Thune said Republicans “are happy to fix the ACA issue” and have offered to negotiate with Democrats — if they will vote to keep the government open until Nov. 21.

A critical, and unusual, vote for Democrats

Democrats are in an uncomfortable position for a party that has long denounced shutdowns as pointless and destructive, and it’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">unclear how or when a shutdown will end</a>. But party activists and lawmakers have argued that Democrats need to do something to stand up to Trump.

“The level of appeasement that Trump demands never ends,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “We’ve seen that with universities, with law firms, with prosecutors. So is there a point where you just have to stand up to him? I think there is.”

Some groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-congress-chuck-schumer-government-funding-shutdown-43d1acea20c34ad28d848edc08ad6375">called for Schumer’s resignation</a>&nbsp;in March after he and nine other Democrats voted to break a filibuster and allow a Republican-led funding bill to advance to a final vote.

Schumer said then that he voted to keep the government open because a shutdown would have made things worse as Trump’s administration was slashing government jobs. He says things have now changed, including the passage this summer of the massive GOP tax cut bill that reduced Medicaid.

A bipartisan meeting at the White House on Monday was Trump’s first with all four leaders in Congress since retaking the White House for his second term. Schumer said the group “had candid, frank discussions” about health care.

But Trump did not appear to be ready for serious talks. Hours later, he posted a fake video of Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries taken from footage of their real press conference outside of the White House after the meeting. In the altered video, a voiceover that sounds like Schumer’s voice makes fun of Democrats and Jeffries stands beside him with a cartoon sombrero and mustache. Mexican music plays in the background.

At a news conference on the Capitol steps Tuesday morning, Jeffries said it was a “racist and fake AI video."

Schumer said that less than a day before a shutdown, Trump was trolling on the internet “like a 10-year-old.”

“It’s only the president who can do this," Schumer said. "We know he runs the show here.”

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Kevin Freking, Matthew Brown, Darlene Superville and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759275091442.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on the floor of the Senate Tuesday evening -image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on the floor of the Senate Tuesday evening -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>&nbsp;after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.</p><p>The Senate rejected the legislation as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. The 55-45 vote on a bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation.</p><p>Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans are trying to “bully” Democrats by refusing to negotiate on an extension of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits</a>&nbsp;that expire at the end of the year.</p><p>“We hope they sit down with us and talk," Schumer said after the vote. "Otherwise, it’s the Republicans will be driving us straight towards a shutdown tonight at midnight. The American people will blame them for bringing the federal government to a halt.”</p><p>The failure of Congress to keep the government open means that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">laid off</a>. After the vote, the White House's Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.”</p><p>Threatening retribution to Democrats, Trump said Tuesday that a shutdown could include “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”</p><p>Trump and his fellow Republicans said they won’t entertain any changes to the legislation, arguing that it’s a stripped-down, “clean” bill that should be noncontroversial. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “we can reopen it tomorrow” if enough Democrats break party lines.</p><p>The last shutdown was in Trump’s first term, from December 2018 to January 2019, when he demanded that Congress give him money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">retreated after 35 days</a>&nbsp;— the longest shutdown ever — amid intensifying airport delays and missed paydays for federal workers.</p><h2>Democrats take a stand against Trump, with exceptions</h2><p>While partisan stalemates over government spending are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">a frequent occurrence in Washington</a>, the current impasse comes as Democrats see a rare opportunity to use their leverage to achieve policy goals and as their base voters are spoiling for a fight with Trump. Republicans who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate needed at least eight votes from Democrats after Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed the bill.</p><p>Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted with Republicans to keep the government open — giving Republicans hope that there might be five more who will eventually come around and help end a shutdown.</p><p>After the vote, King warned against “permanent damage” as Trump and his administration have threatened mass layoffs.</p><p>“Instead of fighting Trump we're actually empowering him, which is what finally drove my decision,” King said.</p><p>Thune predicted Democratic support for the GOP bill will increase "when they realize that this is playing a losing hand.”</p><h2>Shutdown preparations begin</h2><p>The stakes are huge for federal workers across the country as the White House told agencies last week that they should consider “a reduction in force” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/effects-of-government-shutdown-donald-trump-4a16fc477eb67b7cf7ac708e578146e3">many federal programs if the government shuts down</a>. That means that workers who are not deemed essential could be fired instead of just furloughed.</p><p>Either way, most would not get paid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in a letter to Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Tuesday that around 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.</p><p>Federal agencies were already preparing. On the home page of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a large pop up ad reads, “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people.”</p><h2>Democrats’ health care asks</h2><p>Democrats want to negotiate an extension of the health subsidies immediately as people are beginning to receive notices of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">premium increases</a>&nbsp;for the next year. Millions of people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could face higher costs as expanded subsidies first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expire.</p><p>Democrats have also demanded that Republicans reverse the Medicaid cuts that were enacted as a part of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” this summer and for the White House to promise it will not move to rescind spending passed by Congress.</p><p>“We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.</p><p>Thune pressed Democrats to vote for the funding bill and take up the debate on tax credits later. Some Republicans are open to extending the tax credits, but many are strongly opposed to it.</p><p>In rare, pointed back-and-forth with Schumer on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Thune said Republicans “are happy to fix the ACA issue” and have offered to negotiate with Democrats — if they will vote to keep the government open until Nov. 21.</p><h2>A critical, and unusual, vote for Democrats</h2><p>Democrats are in an uncomfortable position for a party that has long denounced shutdowns as pointless and destructive, and it’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">unclear how or when a shutdown will end</a>. But party activists and lawmakers have argued that Democrats need to do something to stand up to Trump.</p><p>“The level of appeasement that Trump demands never ends,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “We’ve seen that with universities, with law firms, with prosecutors. So is there a point where you just have to stand up to him? I think there is.”</p><p>Some groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-congress-chuck-schumer-government-funding-shutdown-43d1acea20c34ad28d848edc08ad6375">called for Schumer’s resignation</a>&nbsp;in March after he and nine other Democrats voted to break a filibuster and allow a Republican-led funding bill to advance to a final vote.</p><p>Schumer said then that he voted to keep the government open because a shutdown would have made things worse as Trump’s administration was slashing government jobs. He says things have now changed, including the passage this summer of the massive GOP tax cut bill that reduced Medicaid.</p><h2>Trump's role in negotiations</h2><p>A bipartisan meeting at the White House on Monday was Trump’s first with all four leaders in Congress since retaking the White House for his second term. Schumer said the group “had candid, frank discussions” about health care.</p><p>But Trump did not appear to be ready for serious talks. Hours later, he posted a fake video of Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries taken from footage of their real press conference outside of the White House after the meeting. In the altered video, a voiceover that sounds like Schumer’s voice makes fun of Democrats and Jeffries stands beside him with a cartoon sombrero and mustache. Mexican music plays in the background.</p><p>At a news conference on the Capitol steps Tuesday morning, Jeffries said it was a “racist and fake AI video."</p><p>Schumer said that less than a day before a shutdown, Trump was trolling on the internet “like a 10-year-old.”</p><p>“It’s only the president who can do this," Schumer said. "We know he runs the show here.”</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Kevin Freking, Matthew Brown, Darlene Superville and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.</p>

Government on path to shutdown as Dems vote down GOP funding bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to lower drug costs under a deal struck with the Trump administration, President Donald Trump said Tuesday, as he promised similar deals will be struck with other drugmakers facing a threat of tariffs.

The announcement, which Trump made with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla at the White House, came as the Republican president has for months sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-prescription-drugs-prices-most-favored-nation-4c620a32ccd193b793ba1558f3fe93e0">lower drug costs</a>. It also came as Washington faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">a federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;at midnight amid a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over health care and its costs.

Under the agreement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-raised-forecast-eliquis-comirnaty-c4f40da16f6376576fe21bec7a06805b">New York-based Pfizer</a>&nbsp;will charge most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and guarantee that pricing on newly launched drugs, Trump said. That involves matching the lowest price offered in other developed nations.

“I can’t tell you how big this is," the president said.&nbsp;“I think," Bourla said, “today we are turning the tide and we are reversing an unfair situation.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759249113526.png" alt="Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, President Trump, RFK, Jr. and Dr. Oz enjoy a laugh in the Oval Office during the announcement -image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, President Trump, RFK, Jr. and Dr. Oz enjoy a laugh in the Oval Office during the announcement -image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to lower drug costs under a deal struck with the Trump administration, President Donald Trump said Tuesday, as he promised similar deals will be struck with other drugmakers facing a threat of tariffs.</p><p>The announcement, which Trump made with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla at the White House, came as the Republican president has for months sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-prescription-drugs-prices-most-favored-nation-4c620a32ccd193b793ba1558f3fe93e0">lower drug costs</a>. It also came as Washington faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">a federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;at midnight amid a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over health care and its costs.</p><p>Under the agreement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-raised-forecast-eliquis-comirnaty-c4f40da16f6376576fe21bec7a06805b">New York-based Pfizer</a>&nbsp;will charge most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and guarantee that pricing on newly launched drugs, Trump said. That involves matching the lowest price offered in other developed nations.</p><p>“I can’t tell you how big this is," the president said.&nbsp;“I think," Bourla said, “today we are turning the tide and we are reversing an unfair situation.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;For many years, Americans have paid the highest prices anywhere in the world for prescription drugs... a major reason is that American consumers have been subsidizing Research and Development costs for the entire planet... it&#39;s being changed as of today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/T22cIT16Ws">pic.twitter.com/T22cIT16Ws</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973054472046727434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces that <a href="https://twitter.com/pfizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pfizer</a> will provide some of their most popular medications to all Americans at heavily discounted prices of between 50%-100% off — and all new medications introduced to the U.S. market will be sold at the reduced Most Favored Nation cost 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/YC0f8hzdAQ">pic.twitter.com/YC0f8hzdAQ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973055859233034542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/pfizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pfizer</a> CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBourla?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlbertBourla</a>: The big winner of this deal clearly will be the American patient — there&#39;s no doubt about it. They are the ones that will see significant impact in their ability to buy medicines... We are ready to UNLEASH our investment portfolio in this country. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf">https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf</a> <a href="https://t.co/G9V32nxZOD">pic.twitter.com/G9V32nxZOD</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973062219211354327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT. <a href="https://t.co/lWu3MGc9fh">https://t.co/lWu3MGc9fh</a> <a href="https://t.co/X0C3sitmDN">pic.twitter.com/X0C3sitmDN</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973072382324625602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: *Sneezes in the Oval Office*<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;God bless you Bobby. I hope I didn&#39;t catch COVID just there.&quot;<br><br>&quot;Give me a Paxlovid immediately,&quot; he says to the CEO of Pfizer. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/IbsJy9x3Gr">pic.twitter.com/IbsJy9x3Gr</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973065585773674946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrMakaryFDA</a>: &quot;Today marks the the beginning of the end of the great American rip off, and it also marks the beginning of the end of a great American tragedy; something I’ve seen as a physician at the bedside — patients getting spun up into a financial rage... to try to get… <a href="https://t.co/SD0iKsZR2B">pic.twitter.com/SD0iKsZR2B</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973063636395373048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT: President Trump Delivers LOWER DRUG PRICES for Americans <a href="https://t.co/nA4tPrmcXt">pic.twitter.com/nA4tPrmcXt</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973062430591692829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Pfizer is committing to offer all of their prescription medications to Medicaid and it will be at the Most Favored Nation prices. It&#39;s going to have a huge impact on bringing Medicaid prices down.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ftq4ElmZEY">pic.twitter.com/ftq4ElmZEY</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973056170777616593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: &quot;For the mother trying to help her child get better, for the grandmother at the pharmacy counter, and for millions of Americans who want to restore their health — today is about another promise made by <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and another promise KEPT by <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf">https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf</a> <a href="https://t.co/n3w6sQY44W">pic.twitter.com/n3w6sQY44W</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973057794178691448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;We’re going to finally deliver on the fair drug prices that President Trump has been speaking about for two terms. We’re going to celebrate this historic day—I predict... in the medical field, for generations to come.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ojlFZOC2pm">pic.twitter.com/ojlFZOC2pm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973059658400022829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump has been talking for months about the need to lower drug prices. In May, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-prescription-drugs-prices-most-favored-nation-4c620a32ccd193b793ba1558f3fe93e0">issued an executive order</a>&nbsp;that gave drugmakers 30 days to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.</p><p>To persuade them to strike deals, Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-taxes-furniture-imports-trucks-cabinets-30e0ca1409747e92f374b436e9fef64d">he threatened to impose tariffs</a>&nbsp;— a favorite tool of his to use as leverage across all areas of government — but that move could raise drug prices.</p><p>It’s unclear how the new policy will affect patients in Medicaid, the state and federally funded program for people with low incomes. They often pay a nominal co-payment of a few dollars to fill their prescriptions, but lower prices could help state budgets that fund the programs.</p><p>Lower drug prices also will help patients who have no insurance coverage and little leverage to negotiate better deals on what they pay.</p><p>“This is something that most people said was not doable,” Trump said Tuesday.</p><p>One thing that is not doable, however, was Trump’s repeated claim that it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-prescription-drug-prices-drop-b3e5bf8a98310de45e39d3911d112979">cut drug prices by more than 100%</a>, “14, 15, 1,600% reductions in some cases,” he said.</p><p>A 100% reduction would make the drugs free. Cuts greater than that would essentially mean people are paid to take the drugs.</p><p>Trump said he’s making deals with other drugmakers, and “they’re all coming in over the next week.”</p><p>Besides committing to lowering costs, Trump said, Pfizer agreed to spend $70 billion in domestic manufacturing facilities, becoming the latest in a string of major drugmakers to announce plans to build production in the United States.</p><p>The White House did not immediately release details about the investment, but Trump for months has spoken of a need to boost U.S. drug manufacturing.</p><p>Pfizer Inc. is one of the largest U.S. drugmakers. It produces the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paxlovid-cost-covid19-f03f3732e14fbbcb0fe33220db67c9f1">the treatment Paxlovid</a>. Its products also include several cancer drugs, the blood thinner Eliquis and the pneumonia vaccine Prevnar.</p><p>Trump sent letters in late July to executives at 17 pharmaceutical companies about changes he would like to see. Copies of the letters posted on social media note that U.S. prices for brand-name drugs can be up to three times higher than averages elsewhere.</p><p>The letters called for drugmakers to commit by Monday to offering what Pfizer agreed to: most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and new medications.</p><p>Trump also asked drugmakers to offer the lower pricing levels for drugs sold directly to consumers and businesses.</p><p>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-drug-prices-subsidize-healthcare-a7a41cf2dbfb34fb39ecc38ea728c473">has claimed</a>&nbsp;that the U.S., with its higher drug prices, subsidizes care in other countries.</p><p>Drugmakers in the past couple of years have started launching websites to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eli-lilly-website-zepbound-34e7b1fe394f8c61107cff7b4af6f477">connect customers directly with some products</a>&nbsp;like Lilly’s obesity treatment Zepbound or the blood thinner Eliquis from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb. That comes as patients have grown more comfortable with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/telemedicine-keys-limits-pandemic-eb70627d08ef0428118698c27d223bb7">receiving care virtually</a>&nbsp;after the practice exploded in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>Drug prices for patients in the U.S. can depend on a number of factors, including the competition a treatment faces and insurance coverage. Most people have coverage through work, the individual insurance market or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare that shields them from much of the cost.</p><p>While Trump was focusing on drug costs on Tuesday, Democrats were focused on reversing Medicaid cuts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-cuts-snap-ed0d2c7c20b43c54265dbc9cb215b647">the sweeping law</a>&nbsp;he signed this summer.</p><p>They were pushing for that reversal to be included in a measure to fund the government in the short term, along with an extension of tax cuts that make health insurance premiums more affordable for people who purchase coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.</p><p>Republicans have said they won't negotiate.</p>