With some shutdown pain points delayed for now, talks in Congress are 'nowhere'

[Dulcinea]

(NPR) With the Trump administration staving off some of the most painful impacts of the government shutdown, and a federal court ruling pausing layoffs for thousands of federal workers, the sense of urgency on Capitol Hill for a way out of the stalemate may be gone — at least for right now.

In past shutdowns, Congress passed legislation to cover paychecks for the military, while headlines about things like closed national parks and shuttered agencies unable to provide services turned up the heat on both parties.

With this shutdown, the dynamic is different. Day after day, top congressional leaders hold dueling press conferences, but there are no serious negotiations and the House hasn't voted in weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says he has no plans for the chamber to return until Senate Democrats break their opposition to a stopgap bill passed by the House to fund federal agencies through November 21.

After a 10th Senate vote to fund the government failed to advance on Thursday, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt, said efforts to end the shutdown were "nowhere." The Senate wrapped up business and went home, ensuring the shutdown will stretch into a fourth week.

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/17/nx-s1-5577136/government-shutdown-congress-trump