Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, told Politico that he expects the government shutdown will likely end after Tuesday’s elections, estimating it to reopen either Wednesday or Thursday.
Newsweek reached out to Mullin’s press secretary for comment via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
The federal government has been shut down since October 1, and Republicans and Democrats have been in a stalemate, trading blame back and forth over who is responsible for the shutdown and seeking to garner support for resolutions to reopen the government. The GOP holds a majority in the House and Senate, but requires Democratic support to reach a deal.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments are issued monthly to nearly 42 million Americans, with nearly 75 percent of SNAP households at or below the poverty level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that these benefits will not be paid until the shutdown ends, which has raised concerns among many constituents and led a coalition of Democratic-led states to sue the government over its failure to use contingency funds for the matter.
Many federal employees are working without pay, and hundreds of thousands are furloughed. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says some air traffic controllers have taken second jobs after missing paychecks in an effort to make ends meet.
What To Know
Mullin told Politico that he expects November 4 to be a turning point for Democrats in the government shutdown. Notable elections that day include the New York City mayoral race and gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. Proposition 50 is on the ballot in California, which concerns the Democrats’ proposed redistricting map.
“My opinion is: They’re setting everything up for next week. They know they’ve got to get out,” Mullins said.
He continued, “If they do it before Tuesday, then their base may not show up because it looks like they caved,” noting that Election Day is going to be a real marker for negotiations.
“That’s why they’re setting everything up to open next week. We’ll be open next Wednesday, or Wednesday night, or Thursday,” he said.
Senate Leader John Thune also told the outlet he expects momentum to reopen the government to build after the elections.
The Republicans’ comments come as President Donald Trump has called on GOP members to eliminate the filibuster rule to clear a path for ending the government shutdown. The filibuster, a procedural move that allows senators to extend debates on bills indefinitely without a 60-vote majority, has long been viewed as a means to encourage bipartisanship in Congress and as a bulwark against political dominance by slim majorities in the upper chamber.
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!”
What People Are Saying
Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts said: “Right now, Congress has put money in an emergency fund for an emergency, and it’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits.”
Dottie Rosenbaum, senior fellow and director of federal SNAP policy and the center-left think tank The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, said in a report: “Under past shutdowns, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, SNAP benefits have always been provided using available funding sources to prevent a break in benefits. While it is not clear whether past administrations used the contingency reserve or instead used other available funding sources, making use of the contingency reserve unnecessary, the guidance documents from past shutdowns or near-shutdowns make it clear that the SNAP contingency reserve was available to cover regular SNAP benefits.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in an October 30 X post: “In the middle of this Republican government shutdown, Donald Trump left the country And traveled all the way across the world To fold to President Xi.”
Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said earlier this week: “There has to be a preexisting appropriation for the contingency to be used, and Democrats blocked that appropriation when they rejected the clean continuing resolution. The best way for SNAP benefits to be paid on time is for the Democrats to end their shutdown.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in an X post on Friday: “Democrats are fighting to protect SNAP and save healthcare. It’s time for House Republicans to end their five-week vacation and reopen the government. Enough.”
What Happens Next
Some voters have already headed to the polls for in-person voting. Several federally funded programs are set to expire by November 1.
