Vance says 1.3 million U.S. troops will be paid at the end of the week as pressure mounts for Democrats to end the shutdown

The funding battle in Washington took on new urgency this week, as millions of Americans face the prospect of losing food aid, more federal employees lose their first full paycheck and frequent delays at airports derail travel plans.

“We believe we can continue to pay the troops, at least for now,” Vance told reporters after lunch with Senate Republicans at the Capitol. “We have food stamp benefits that are set to expire in a week. We’re trying to keep them open as much as possible. We just need Democrats to actually help us.”

The vice president reiterated the Republican strategy of trying to co-opt a handful of Senate Democrats to vote for temporary funding to reopen the government. But nearly a month into the lockdown, it hasn’t worked out. Just before Vance’s visit, the Senate failed to vote on legislation to reopen the government for the 13th time.

The Federal Employees Union calls for an end to the shutdown

Pressure is mounting on Democratic lawmakers to end the impasse. That was amplified by the nation’s largest federal employee union, which on Monday called on congress to immediately pass a funding bill and ensure workers receive full pay. Everett Kelly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said both political parties have made their point clear.

“It is time to pass a clean, continuing resolution and end this shutdown today,” said Kelly, whose union has significant political weight with Democratic lawmakers. “No half-measures, no manipulation.”

However, Senate Democrats, including those representing states with many federal employees, do not appear willing to back down. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said he insists on the White House’s commitments to prevent the administration from laying off more workers en masse. Democrats also want Congress to extend support for health plans under the Affordable Care Act.

“We have to come to an agreement with Donald Trump,” Kaine said.

But lockdowns become more painful the longer they last. Soon, as lockdowns continue for a full fourth week starting Tuesday, millions of Americans are likely to face hardship firsthand.

“This week, more than any other week, the consequences have become impossible to ignore,” said Rep. Lisa McClain, chair of the House Republican Conference.

How will the Trump administration reshape the funds?

The country’s 1.3 million active-duty members were at risk of losing pay on Friday. Earlier this month, the Trump administration ensured they would get paid by diverting $8 billion in military research and development funds to pay salaries. Vance did not say Tuesday how the Defense Department would cover troop salaries this time.

Even bigger, the Trump administration says funding will run out on Friday for the food assistance program that 42 million Americans rely on to supplement their grocery bills. The administration refused to use more than $5 billion in emergency funds to keep benefits flowing through November. It says states will not be reimbursed if they temporarily cover the cost of benefits next month.

A coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Massachusetts aimed at keeping SNAP benefits flowing by forcing the Department of Agriculture to use emergency SNAP funds.

Vance said reshuffling funds for various programs like SNAP was like “trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with the budget.”

The Ministry of Agriculture says the emergency fund is intended to help respond to emergencies such as natural disasters. Democrats say the decision regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, conflicts with the department’s previous guidance regarding its operations during the shutdown.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the administration made a deliberate choice not to fund SNAP in November, calling it a “callous act.”

Another program at risk from the shutdown is Head Start, where more than 130 preschool programs will not receive federal grants Saturday if the shutdown continues, according to the National Head Start Association. All told, more than 65,000 seats in Head Start programs across the country could be affected.

The judge forbids shooting

A federal judge in San Francisco on Tuesday indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the government shutdown, saying labor unions were likely to prevail on their claims that the cuts were arbitrary and politically motivated.

US District Judge Susan Elston issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the dismissals while the lawsuit challenging them is pending. It had previously issued a temporary restraining order against the job cuts that was set to expire on Wednesday.

Federal agencies are prohibited from issuing layoff notices or acting on notices issued since the Oct. 1 government shutdown. Elston said her order does not apply to notices sent before the shutdown.

Will the representatives find a solution?

At the Capitol, congressional leaders mostly highlighted the challenges many Americans face as a result of the shutdown. But there was no movement toward negotiations as they tried to shift the blame to the other side of the political aisle.

“Now government workers and every other American affected by this shutdown are little more than pawns in Democrats’ political games,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

The House passed a short-term continuing resolution on September 19 to keep federal agencies funded. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, has kept the House out of legislative session since then, saying the solution is for Democrats to simply accept this bill.

But the Senate has consistently fallen short of the 60 votes needed to advance the spending measure. Democrats insist that any bill to fund the government also addresses health care costs, namely the higher health insurance premiums that millions of Americans will face next year under plans offered through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace.

The shopping window for health plans is delayed

When Schumer was asked about his strategy for ending the shutdown, he said that millions of Americans on Saturday will start seeing how much their health insurance will rise next year.

“People in more than 30 states will be appalled when they see their bills,” Schumer said. “And they will scream, and I think there will be increasing pressure on Republicans to negotiate.”

The enrollment window for ACA health plans begins Saturday. In past years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has allowed Americans to preview their health coverage options about a week before open enrollment. But, as of Tuesday, Healthcare.gov appeared to show 2025 health insurance plans and estimated prices, rather than next year’s options.

Republicans insist they will not consider negotiations on health care until the government reopens.

“I’m particularly concerned about rising insurance premiums for working families,” said Sen. David McCormick, Republican of Pennsylvania. “So we’ll have that conversation, but we won’t have it until the government opens up.”

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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Mark Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.