Federal workers set to miss full paycheck as government shutdown drags on

Geoff Bennett:

In the standoff over the government shutdown, Republicans tried something new today, offering a Senate bill that would pay some federal workers, those who are still on the job. Democrats blocked that move, arguing that it excludes too many people. That's as more than a million federal workers working and furloughed will miss a full paycheck tomorrow.

Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins has been speaking with lawmakers and federal workers and joins us now.

All right Lisa, so what did we learn today about how long this shutdown will go?

Lisa Desjardins:

We learned that Democrats are not moving, but there may be some discomfort for some of them. On that vote that you described, there were three Democrats, Democratic senators, you see them there, who voted with Republicans. The two on the right are the senators from Georgia, previously, they have always stuck with Democrats on shutdown votes.

Now, this was about paying workers. Republicans, however, see this as a sign that maybe there are some new gettable votes there. But, otherwise, there really hasn't been a change in the Senate itself. Now, overall, Democrats are not budging.

We did talk to Speaker Johnson today. He had his news conference. That's something that also is not changing. He is not calling the House back into session again, sticking with that.

I was able to sit down with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries yesterday. And I have to tell you, he also seems even more determined and more confident than I had seen him at the beginning. So what's the bottom line here?

If no dynamic changes, Geoff, as I sit here, this shutdown is on track to go, not just into November, but maybe weeks into November and beyond.

Geoff Bennett:

And the fact that these federal workers are set to miss a paycheck tomorrow, that's not focusing the minds of any of these lawmakers?

Lisa Desjardins:

No, not for Democrats. Republicans are hoping that's a pressure point.

But there is something unusual about this shutdown. While there are over a million federal workers who will miss that paycheck tomorrow, for them, that's not their only existential challenge. I spent hours speaking to them in the last day. And many of them are talking about pushback that they want.

And they see this as that pushback over what they feel has been brutal treatment, in fact, an existential threat to the civil service itself. Now, many of them are uncomfortable speaking on camera. They're worried about retaliation.

But one of them, a furloughed NIH worker named Sylvia, did allow us to use her voice.

Sylvia, Furloughed Federal Employee:

The short-term pains are obviously dramatic. And I really worry about it. But I feel like, nine months in, if we don't do something, nothing is going to be done. And the short-term pain hopefully is that something that allows for a vision for a more long-term sustainable governing process, because I say that sometimes. It feels like hostage takeover.

Lisa Desjardins:

There are some workers who obviously are struggling with finances and will struggle with finances. But there are many of them saying for now they think it's worth the trade-off. That helps Democrats.

But Republicans see other concerns. Virginia's Republican governor today said he's calling a state of emergency because of food benefits, SNAP, that are running out. He says Virginia will pay for those. But Republicans want that as a pressure point.

At the same time, Geoff, I don't need to remind you, Affordable Care Act subsidies are running out. People are going to see their health care go up. So the pain will increase. Lawmakers not changing yet.

Geoff Bennett:

And members of Congress continue to get paid during the shutdown.

Lisa Desjardins:

They do. That's constitutional.

Geoff Bennett:

Lisa Desjardins, our thanks to you, as always.

Lisa Desjardins:

You're welcome.