Today is day 22 of the Schumer Shutdown.
The Schumer Shutdown began on October 1, and the Senate has voted 12 times – and failed 12 times – to reopen the government because Schumer wants to give illegal aliens healthcare.
Instead of working with Republicans to responsibly extend funding until November, Schumer and the Democrats chose a shutdown.
The House has been out of session for a month.
Layoffs of federal employees officially began a couple of weeks ago as the U.S. government shutdown entered another tense phase, according to Trump administration budget chief Russell Vought, who confirmed the sweeping reductions in a social media post.
The RIFs have begun.
— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 10, 2025
President Trump on Tuesday held the line and said Republicans will not be “extorted” as the Democrats demand taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA) said the quiet part out loud on the Schumer Shutdown during an interview with Fox News Congress reporter Chad Pergram.
The interview with Katherine Clark was published by Fox News last week but it was making the rounds on Wednesday.
“Fighting for healthcare is our defining issue,” Clark said.
“The marketplace, the ACA marketplace, open enrollment takes place on Nov. 1,” Clark whined.
“People are receiving their premium notices that they’re going to go to that marketplace and say, ‘I can’t afford this.’ That is a real crisis for American families. And it drives up the cost of healthcare for every single person, no matter where you get your health insurance from,” she said.
Then Clark said the quiet part out loud.
“Shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer,” she said.
“We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage items we have. It is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people,” Clark said.
WATCH:
@WhipKClark, the number two House Democrat, on the Democrat Shutdown: “Of course there will be families that are going to suffer… but it is one of the few leverage times we have.”
These people are SICK! pic.twitter.com/7MRHsmGMGx
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 22, 2025
In a shocking admission earlier this month, Democrats said they won’t end the Schumer Shutdown until planes are falling out of the sky.
Airports across the nation went dark this month because Schumer’s priority is to give illegal aliens taxpayer-funded healthcare.
“Congressional Democrats are privately preparing to hold their position in the shutdown standoff for several more weeks if Republicans do not agree to their health care demands – and not even a missed paycheck for US troops will force them to yield,” CNN reported.
“Another senior Democratic aide said as long as public perception is in their favor, the party will not concede short of “planes falling out of the sky.”” – CNN reported.