Government shutdown Day 3: Johnson, Thune hold press conference as Senate prepares vote
On Day 3 of the federal shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune held a joint news conference as the Senate prepared to gavel and vote again on competing short‑term continuing resolutions — the GOP bill to fund the government through Nov. 21 and a Democratic alternative to Oct. 31 that would address expiring ACA premium tax credits. Thune said he needs roughly eight to ten senators to break the impasse and warned he may send members home for the weekend if the GOP measure fails (a prior effort failed 54–44), while Democrats insisted on healthcare fixes, bipartisan talks continued on the floor, and the White House and agencies began contingency actions including paused transit funding and warnings of potential federal layoffs.
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🔍 Key Facts
- The partial government shutdown entered its third day as the Senate prepared additional procedural and funding votes; House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune held a joint news conference Oct. 3 while the chamber observed Yom Kippur and floor activity was limited.
- Thune said he needs roughly eight to 10 senators to break the impasse, planned to bring the Republican short‑term continuing resolution (CR) back for votes Friday (with a gavel around 11:30 a.m. EDT reported), warned the Senate is unlikely to work through the weekend if the GOP bill fails, and said he may send senators home.
- The Senate rejected the GOP stopgap CR that would have funded the government roughly flat through Nov. 21 (the roll included about $88 million for enhanced security) in a 54–44 vote; three Democrats/caucus members (John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto and Angus King) joined most Republicans in supporting the measure.
- Senate Democrats and House Democrats offered an alternative short stopgap CR through Oct. 31 that would make expiring ACA premium tax credits permanent; Democrats pushed for preserving ACA subsidies, reversing recent Medicaid verification/cutbacks and restoring funding for public broadcasters (NPR/PBS).
- House Democrats’ attempt in the House to pass a short‑term CR by unanimous consent was blocked when Rep. Warren Davidson objected and a pro‑forma session was gavelled out by Rep. Morgan Griffith, ending that effort.
- Republicans accused Democrats of seeking to restore Medicaid/benefits to undocumented immigrants by changing verification rules — a claim amplified by some GOP lawmakers and social posts — while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called those assertions false; Democrats continued to insist ACA premium tax credits be addressed now.
- The White House and OMB warned of immediate fiscal consequences: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said mass federal layoffs were likely and the administration was looking for spending cuts, OMB Director Russ Vought announced a pause of $2.1 billion in Chicago transit projects, unions have sued over proposed layoffs, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics said it may withhold the September jobs report if the shutdown continues.
- There were early signs of bipartisan, behind‑the‑scenes negotiations — a nearly dozen‑senator huddle on the Senate floor and comments from Sen. Richard Blumenthal and leaders that talks could begin — but leaders signaled they would repeatedly bring measures to the floor to try to force a resolution.
📍 Contextual Background
- OMB is the abbreviation for the Office of Management and Budget, an office within the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for assisting the President in preparing the federal budget and supervising its administration in executive agencies.
📰 Sources (14)
Government shutdown drags into weekend as Senate Democrats block GOP plan
New information:
- Senate vote result on the GOP short-term funding extension reported as failing 54–44.
- Identification of three Senate Democrats/caucus members (John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Angus King) who joined most Republicans in backing the bill.
- Quotes attributable to Senate Majority Leader John Thune framing Democrats as 'taking hostage' the federal government and noting plan to repeatedly bring the bill to the floor.
WATCH LIVE: Johnson and Thune hold news conference as shutdown threatens to extend over the weekend
New information:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune scheduled a joint news conference for 11:00 a.m. EDT on Oct. 3, 2025.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune was quoted saying he needs 'eight or hopefully more — 10 or more' senators to break the impasse.
- The Senate was expected to gavel at 11:30 a.m. EDT for another funding vote (live/ongoing coverage confirmation).
Government shutdown live updates with Senate set to vote on Day 3
New information:
- Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced a pause of $2.1 billion for Chicago transit projects (Red Line Extension and Red and Purple Modernization) via a post on X.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that mass federal layoffs are 'likely going to be in the thousands.'
- The Senate is expected to hold additional procedural and funding votes Friday afternoon (after 1:30 p.m.) on both the House‑passed GOP stopgap (through Nov. 21) and the Democratic alternative (through Oct. 31) that would make expiring ACA premium tax credits permanent.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said it's 'unlikely' the Senate will work through the weekend if the Republican measure fails to advance; the chamber observed Yom Kippur and did not vote Thursday.
Here’s the latest.
New information:
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would send senators home for the weekend if Democrats again block the GOP stopgap, indicating Senate schedule plans for Oct. 3–6, 2025.
- The article reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics is likely to withhold the September jobs report if the shutdown continues.
- President Trump posted mocking social‑media messages late Thursday that the article links to the heightened partisan tenor around the shutdown.
- Department of Education furloughed workers had their out‑of‑office email messages changed without their knowledge to include partisan language blaming 'Democrat Senators.'
Government shutdown enters 3rd day as Senate stalemate over Obamacare subsidies drags on
New information:
- Shutdown has progressed into its third day (update on duration).
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune plans to bring the GOP continuing resolution up for another vote on Friday.
- Senate floor activity was minimal Thursday (open less than three hours) as many lawmakers observed Yom Kippur.
- Thune indicated he does not plan to keep lawmakers in town over the weekend if the House GOP bill fails again; Schumer and most Senate Democrats continue to insist ACA premium tax credits be addressed now.
Democrats shut down government over healthcare for illegal immigrants, House GOP whip says
New information:
- House Majority Whip Tom Emmer publicly accused Senate Democrats and Chuck Schumer of shutting down the government to restore healthcare (Medicaid) to undocumented immigrants, calling Schumer a 'scared old man' in quoted remarks.
- Emmer asserted the Senate Democrats' alternative proposal would remove verification requirements and 'put 1.4 million illegals back on Medicaid,' citing a CBO estimate as the basis for the figure.
- Emmer tied the verification changes to the Working Families Tax Cut Act (aka 'One Big Beautiful Bill') and predicted political consequences for Democratic leadership (specifically Schumer).
Karoline Leavitt says White House must cut spending due to shutdown
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gave on‑the‑record NPR interview (Oct. 2/3) saying the administration must look for cuts and is meeting with OMB to identify spending savings amid the shutdown.
- Leavitt reiterated that President Trump supported a 'clean' continuing resolution and said the White House is trying to 'pick off' moderate Democrats to reach 60 votes.
- Article mentions the administration's proposal of layoffs for a prolonged shutdown and notes unions have filed a lawsuit challenging those proposed layoffs.
Republicans relishing role reversal in shutdown fight
New information:
- On-the-record framing that Republicans are 'relishing' a role reversal in which GOP leaders implore Democrats to reopen the government
- Direct quotes from Speaker Mike Johnson urging reopening and saying 'We want to protect hardworking federal workers.'
- Identification of Sen. Rand Paul as the lone Republican opposing the GOP-backed short-term continuing resolution, and on-the-record quotes from VP J.D. Vance supporting reopening
Johnson accuses Schumer of blocking ‘real discussion’ to keep government open
New information:
- Direct on‑the‑record interview quotes from House Speaker Mike Johnson accusing Sen. Chuck Schumer of refusing to vote to end the shutdown to appease the far‑left.
- Johnson said Democrats had voted on a similar measure 13 times under the prior administration and framed the current refusal as a "selfish political calculation."
- Johnson reported discussing the issue with President Trump and said Trump was 'very bothered' by Schumer's stance.
First bipartisan shutdown negotiations surface on Capitol Hill after funding bill blocked again
New information:
- A group of nearly a dozen senators publicly huddled on the Senate floor — described as the first visible bipartisan negotiations since the shutdown began.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D‑Conn.) was quoted directly: "There are glimmers of hope, and I think they're bipartisan."
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expected to speak with Sen. Chuck Schumer 'in the next day or two,' indicating leaders may open formal talks.
- Senators noted the Senate will recess for Yom Kippur and is expected to return Friday, with the possibility of votes into the weekend on a CR that would extend funding to Nov. 21.
Chuck Schumer slams GOP's claim that Democrats want to give healthcare to illegals as an 'effing lie'
New information:
- Direct, on‑the‑record quote from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling GOP claims a 'total, absolute, effing lie.'
- Identification of specific White House figures (Karoline Leavitt and Stephen Miller) who posted on X asserting Democrats wanted healthcare for undocumented immigrants and were blocking funding.
- Schumer outlined two Democratic priorities during the shutdown: negotiating healthcare fixes for Americans and mounting public political pressure (TV, social media, protests).
Speaker Johnson, ABC’s Stephanopoulos clash over government shutdown, illegal immigrants getting healthcare
New information:
- Direct transcript-style quotes from Speaker Mike Johnson accusing Democrats of prioritizing healthcare for 'illegal aliens' over funding the government.
- Johnson's claim that '44 Senate Democrats voted to reject a clean, non-partisan, continuing-funding resolution' and his framing tying the CR dispute to Medicaid/ACA changes.
- ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos' on-air rebuttal that the Democratic proposal does not make illegal immigrants eligible for ACA subsidies, with an explicit back-and-forth recorded.
House Democrats' government funding proposal goes down in flames with shutdown deadline in hours
New information:
- Democrats sought unanimous consent to pass a short-term continuing resolution extending funding to Oct. 31 with policy riders.
- Rep. Warren Davidson (R‑OH) was identified as the Republican poised to object to unanimous consent; Rep. Morgan Griffith (R‑VA) presiding gavelled the pro‑forma session out, ending the effort.
- The article details Democrats' specific demands: extension of pandemic-era ACA premium subsidies, reversal of recent Medicaid cuts, and restoring federal funding to NPR and PBS.
- Notes the House‑passed GOP CR would fund the government roughly flat until Nov. 21 and includes about $88 million for enhanced security for lawmakers, the White House and the judiciary.