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Category: Politics
October 31, 2025
Politics

Thune Defies Trump, Won’t Abolish Filibuster to End Democrats’ Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for the Senate to end the filibuster to resolve the government shutdown, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) says his stance against doing so remains unchanged.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Thune’s spokesman Ryan Wrasse.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The statement from Thune’s spokesman was made on Friday following Trump’s post on Truth Social late Thursday night.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged.” – Ryan Wrasse

🎯IMPACT: The government shutdown continues with the Senate adjourned for the weekend, while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faces potential funding issues.

IN FULL

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has indicated Republicans will not invoke the so-called “nuclear option” and enact a rule change to scrap the legislative filibuster, despite urging from President Donald J. Trump to do so. Thune spokesman, Ryan Wrasse, confirmed on Friday that the Senate Republican leader’s stance is “unchanged” and emphasized the filibuster’s role as a safeguard against undesirable legislation. “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged,” Wrasse said.

Late Thursday, in a post on Truth Social, President Trump called on Senate Republicans to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to advance most legislation to break the ongoing Democrat-caused government shutdown. The rule change would allow Republicans to pass funding measures without needing Democratic support.

The Senate has adjourned for the weekend, although discussions among members are expected to continue in an effort to end the shutdown. The situation is compounded by the looming expiration of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which could impact 42 million Americans.

Thune has previously articulated that the filibuster serves as a critical barrier to prevent “a lot of really bad things” from happening. The National Pulse has previously reported that Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and John Fetterman (D-PA) have backed a push to end the filibuster. However, some longtime Capitol Hill observers warn that Republicans moving to end the filibuster may actually be the outcome Democrats desire most.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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October 31, 2025
Politics

Trump Calls on Senate Republicans to Nuke the Filibuster.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to end the government shutdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader John Thunen (R-SD), and Senate Republicans.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, during the 31st day of the government shutdown.

💬KEY QUOTE: “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!” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s call renews debate over the filibuster as a method to resolve the ongoing government shutdown.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has urged Senate Republicans to use the so-called “nuclear option” to end the filibuster, circumventing Senate Democrats and funding the government. The House has already passed a temporary funding bill, but the Senate has failed to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance the legislation due to Democrats withholding their votes. The shutdown has now reached its 31st day, nearing a record.

Trump called for Republicans to use the “Nuclear Option” and eliminate the filibuster. “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! Just a short while ago, the Democrats, while in power, fought for three years to do this, but were unable to pull it off because of Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He argued that Democrats would end the filibuster if they were in power and that Republicans should act now while they have the chance.

“The one question that kept coming up, however, was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America, and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it? The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?” Trump wrote.

The America First leader continued: “Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN.’ If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it.”

Trump added: “BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD ‘CRAZY,’ THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The National Pulse has previously reported that Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and John Fetterman (D-PA) have backed a push to end the filibuster. However, some longtime Capitol Hill observers warn that Republicans moving to end the filibuster may actually be the outcome Democrats desire most. After it emerged that Senate Democrats remain mostly unified in opposition to reopening the government, Liam Donovan—a former congressional staffer and executive with consulting firm Targeted Victory—argues: “They want Rs to nuke. They’d settle for a price. But that’s what this is meant to signal—nuke it, we’re not budging.”

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October 30, 2025
Politics

Senate Votes to Overturn Trump’s Global Tariffs in 51-47 Decision.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate voted to end President Donald Trump’s tariffs in a 51-47 vote.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski joined Democrats to back the measure.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The vote took place on Thursday in the Senate.

🎯IMPACT: President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs remains legally intact, as the Senate bill is highly unlikely to be approved by the House or signed by President Trump. Trade agreements with key partners are already in place.

IN FULL

The Senate voted 51-47 on Thursday to end President Donald J. Trump‘s global reciprocal tariffs, with four Republican senators joining all Democrats in supporting the measure. Two senators did not vote.

Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rand Paul (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) were the Republicans who voted in favor of the Democrat measure to end the tariff emergency. Both McConnell and Paul have openly opposed President Trump’s tariff policies for months, despite mounting evidence that the America First leader’s trade levies have rebalanced international markets and encouraged the reshoring of American jobs.

Despite the Senate vote, the Democrat-led legislation is not expected to take effect. The Republican-controlled House and insufficient Senate support to override an almost certain veto from President Trump make its passage unlikely.

The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a challenge to Trump’s tariffs in November, with the government expected to emphasize the foreign policy aspect of trade policy, rooting the levies purely under presidential authority.

In April, Sen. Paul announced he would back Senate Democrats’ anti-tariff efforts, declaring that “Taxation without representation is tyranny”—despite President Trump running on tariffs in 2024 and having a clear mandate from the American people.

Also in Paril, Paul and McConnell joined a Democratic resolution challenging President Trump’s tariffs on imports from Canada, which passed out of the Senate on a 51-48 vote. The bill has not moved in the House, effectively being rendered dead.

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October 30, 2025
News
Politics

Dutch Elections Appear to Be a Tie Between Populists and Liberals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Dutch populist Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) appear to be tied at 26 seats with the liberal-progressive D66 party following national elections in the Netherlands.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Geert Wilders’s Party for Freedom and Rob Jetten’s D66 party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The election took place on Wednesday in the Netherlands.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The difference between the two leading parties was just over 2,000 votes nationwide,” according to Dutch national news agency ANP.

🎯IMPACT: The unprecedented tie is expected to delay the formation of a new coalition government.

IN FULL

The Dutch populist Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, and the liberal-progressive Democrats 66 (D66), led by Rob Jetten, both appear to have secured 26 seats in the Dutch legislature with 98 percent of votes counted, according to figures published by the Dutch national news agency ANP. The difference between the two parties was reported to be just over 2,000 votes nationwide, marking the first time in Dutch history that a national election has concluded in such a tie.

The results show Wilders’s PVV losing 11 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives, while D66 gained 11. This razor-thin outcome is expected to prolong and complicate coalition negotiations, a process already notorious for taking months in the Netherlands’ fragmented political landscape.

Wilders reacted to the results, saying, “At the top with 26 seats just like D66. Nobody beats the PVV. Absolutely nobody! The entire campaign attacked by other parties and ‘journalists’, but they won’t bring us down, we stand tall and proud at the top and no other party has more than our 26 seats!!”

The vote follows years of turbulence in Dutch politics. In 2023, the government of long-serving liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte collapsed after his four-party coalition failed to agree on asylum policies, particularly family reunification rules. Migration has remained one of the country’s most divisive issues, fueling the rise of populists like Wilders, who has long advocated for tighter border controls and a tougher stance on immigration and Islamization.

Economic and social tensions surrounding immigration have also intensified. A major study found that mass migration cost the Netherlands nearly half a trillion dollars between 1995 and 2019. These findings have intensified public debate over the long-term sustainability of migration policies and the pressure they place on housing, healthcare, and social welfare systems.

As the vote count nears completion, the tie between PVV and D66 has thrown the process of government formation into uncertainty. Building a majority coalition will require negotiations among multiple parties with sharply differing priorities. Analysts warn that forming a stable government could take months, or potentially trigger another round of elections if talks fail.

Image by Vox España.

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October 30, 2025
Crime
Politics

Zohran Mamdani Faces Criminal Referrals Over Alleged Foreign Donations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing two criminal referrals over alleged campaign finance violations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, and campaign finance expert Dan Backer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: New York City mayoral race, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These are not isolated incidents or clerical errors.” – Dan Backer

🎯IMPACT: Allegations of foreign contributions could lead to fines, but enforcement appears unlikely.

IN FULL

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s socialist nominee in New York City‘s mayoral race, is under scrutiny following two criminal referrals filed by the Coolidge Reagan Foundation. The complaints allege that Mamdani, a Ugandan immigrant, accepted nearly $13,000 from at least 170 donors located outside the United States, which would be a violation of federal and local campaign finance laws.

Dan Backer, president of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation and a national campaign finance expert, stated, “These are not isolated incidents or clerical errors.” He further asserted that this represented “a sustained pattern of foreign money flowing into a New York City mayoral race,” accusing the campaign of failing to take meaningful action to prevent such violations despite being “on notice for months.”

The Mamdani campaign has responded by claiming that 31 of the 170 donors have proven their citizenship or legal permanent residence, and that the remaining 139 donations have been refunded. However, the criminal referral argues that refunding questionable donations does not rectify the violation.

“Despite being well aware of this influx of illegal foreign contributions, it appears he did nothing throughout most of 2025 to prevent his campaign from accepting them in the first place,” reads the referral. Notably, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) can only impose fines, and local prosecutors are unlikely to pursue charges.

The National Pulse reported in July that during the Democratic Party’s New York City mayoral primary, Mamdani’s campaign was bolstered by political dark money operations, including over $2 million in PAC spending, mostly from Silicon Valley billionaires and a cadre of elite Democratic Party donors.

Image by InformedImages.

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October 30, 2025
William Upton
Economy
Politics

The Outcome of the Trump-Xi Trade Summit, Explained.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has yielded some benefits for American farmers, manufacturers, and consumers—although the meeting appears to have only paused the U.S.-China trade war rather than brought it to a comprehensive conclusion.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The agreement was announced on Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “So you know, our great soybean farmers, who the Chinese used as political pawns, that’s off the table, and they should prosper in the years to come,” – Scott Bessent.

🎯IMPACT: China agreed to increase its purchases of U.S. soybeans, finalize approval for the sale of TikTok, delay the implementation of rare earth mineral export controls, and crack down on the export of fentanyl precursors. In exchange, Trump agreed to slight reductions in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump‘s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has yielded some benefits for American farmers, manufacturers, and consumers—although the meeting appears to have only paused the trade war rather than brought it to a comprehensive conclusion. China agreed to increase its purchases of U.S. soybeans, finalize approval for the sale of TikTok, delay the implementation of rare earth mineral export controls, and crack down on the export of fentanyl precursors. In exchange, Trump agreed to slight reductions in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

“It was an amazing meeting,” President Trump said aboard Air Force One after departing the summit with Xi, held in South Korea. He ranked the talks, “Twelve out of ten.”

The most significant development to emerge from the summit was China’s three-year agreement to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually. “So you know, our great soybean farmers, who the Chinese used as political pawns, that’s off the table, and they should prosper in the years to come,” Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent detailed Thursday morning. As part of the trade dispute with the U.S., China had slashed its imports of American soybeans to near zero.

Additionally, Secretary Bessent revealed that President Trump secured Xi’s approval for the sale of the TikTok social media app. “In Kuala Lumpur, we finalized the TikTok agreement in terms of getting Chinese approval, and I would expect that would go forward in the coming weeks and months, and we’ll finally see a resolution to that,” the Treasury Secretary said.

Trump also forced Xi to, at least for the moment, back down from imposing unprecedented export controls on Chinese rare earth minerals, refined rare earth materials, and equipment needed to process rare earths. Set to take effect on December 1, 2025—and impact nearly every country around the world—China agreed to delay export control implementation for one year. However, Xi ultimately did not remove the threat entirely.

Lastly, President Trump announced that Xi pledged to work “very hard to stop the flow” of fentanyl precursors to Central and South American drug cartels. Precisely what measures the Chinese intended to implement to stymie its lucrative illicit drug industry are unclear.

In exchange, Trump agreed to cut a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, imposed in response to the fentanyl trade, in half. This will effectively bring the overall tariff rate on Chinese exports from 57 percent to 47 percent. While the concessions made by Xi mark a degree of progress and cooling of trade tensions, markets appear to have already largely priced in the progress. By and large, market analysts see the summit outcome as a tactical pause, but expect U.S.-led global efforts to decouple from China to continue.

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October 29, 2025
Politics

Senate Democrats Are Trying to Dox Trump’s Ballroom Donors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Democrats are demanding transparency regarding the financing of President Donald J. Trump’s planned White House ballroom.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Democrats led by Adam Schiff (D-CA), donors including major corporations and individual Trump supporters, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The call for disclosure follows recent donor list revelations, with a response deadline set for November 5.

💬KEY QUOTE: “To assess possible conflicts of interest and violations of law and ethics obligations, Congress and the American public deserve meaningful transparency.” – Senate Democrat letter

🎯IMPACT: Opponents of the effort contend that Sen. Schiff and his allies intend to use the disclosures to create a chilling effect, scaring off private donors in the hope of starving President Trump’s project of funding.

IN FULL

Senate Democrats, led by Russia hoax ringleader Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), are working to force the disclosure of private, identifying information of donors financing President Donald J. Trump’s planned White House ballroom. In addition, the Schiff-led effort seeks details on how the ballroom construction is being financed.

Democrats argue that without transparency, the financing of the ballroom could become a channel for improper influence within the administration. However, opponents of the effort contend Sen. Schiff and his allies intend to use the disclosures to create a chilling effect, scaring off private donors in the hope of starving President Trump’s project of funding.

A number of corporations are helping Trump fund his $300 million ballroom, for which a section of the East Wing of the White House has recently been demolished. Donors include tech companies Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Google, and communication companies like Comcast.

Sen. Schiff and Democrat lawmakers claim, in a letter addressed to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, that the Trump administration’s approach “raises troubling questions about the potential for influence peddling and other forms of corruption.” The letter requests a complete accounting of all donations to the White House ballroom construction project, including the conditions under which contributions were made.

Specific details demanded include a complete list of all donors, individual and corporate, and details of any terms tied to donations. It also requests identification of donors with federal contracts, regulatory matters, or pending litigation, as well as records of any ethics advice or approvals related to the solicitation or acceptance of private donations. The letter, signed by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), among others, gives the White House until November 5 to produce the information.

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October 29, 2025
Data
Politics

Stefanik Could Become New York’s First GOP Governor in 20 Years, Poll Shows.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll from the Manhattan Institute shows Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) leading both Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Delgado (D-NY) in a hypothetical New York gubernatorial matchup.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Elise Stefanik, Kathy Hochul, Anthony Delgado, and the Manhattan Institute.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Poll conducted October 22-26, 2025, surveying New York voters.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This marks the first time in decades that any potential Republican gubernatorial candidate is polling ahead of a Democrat incumbent Governor, even before any official announcement.” – Bernadette Breslin, spokesman for Elise Stefanik.

🎯IMPACT: The poll suggests Republicans could make the New York gubernatorial race competitive for the first time in decades, though forecasters still classify the race as Likely Democratic.

IN FULL

Republicans may have a rare opportunity to win the New York gubernatorial office, according to a new poll from the Manhattan Institute. The survey found Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) leading Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) by one point (43 percent to 42 percent) and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Delgado (D-NY) by six points (43 percent to 37 percent). The poll, which surveyed 600 New York City voters and 300 New York State voters from October 22 to October 26, 2025, had a margin of error of ±3.3 percentage points.

Stefanik, a northern New York congresswoman and prominent supporter of President Donald J. Trump, has not officially announced her candidacy but is seen as a strong contender for Republicans. Hochul, on the other hand, is seeking reelection after a narrower-than-expected victory in 2022. She is also facing a primary challenge from Delgado, though polling suggests she maintains an advantage among Democratic voters.

Other recent polls have shown varying results. A Siena College poll conducted in early September 2025 showed Hochul with a 25-point lead over Stefanik, while a GrayHouse poll found Hochul leading initially but Stefanik gaining ground after voters were presented with additional information about the candidates. Both polls suggest that the race could tighten as the election approaches.

Bernadette Breslin, a spokesman for Stefanik, highlighted the significance of the Manhattan Institute poll, stating, “This marks the first time in decades that any potential Republican gubernatorial candidate (and in this case, the likely nominee) is polling ahead of a Democrat incumbent Governor, even before any official announcement.” Breslin also criticized Hochul for her policies, calling her “the Worst Governor in America” and accusing her of putting New Yorkers last.

The increasingly likely election of socialist Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City could have a significant impact on the 2026 gubernatorial race. Hochul threw her support behind the far-left Mamdani in September, despite concerns among Democratic leaders over the mayoral candidate’s extreme policy proposals. The National Pulse previously reported that Mamdani has pushed plans for an additional $100 million in taxpayer funds to provide legal defense for illegal immigrants facing deportation, advocated for “the abolition of private property,” proposed socialist city-owned grocery stores, and detailed a controversial plan to “[s]hift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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October 29, 2025
Politics

Mamdani’s Mother Bragged ‘He Is Not an American at All.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The mother of the Democrats’ socialist New York City mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, stated in a 2013 interview that her son is “not an American at all,” using terminology criticized as derogatory toward Westerners.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, his mother Mira Nair, and attorney Mehek Cooke.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made in a 2013 Hindustan Times interview.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He is not an Uhmericcan (American) at all. He was born in Uganda, raised between India and America. He is at home in many places.” – Mira Nair

🎯IMPACT: Critics say the remarks are ungrateful and divisive, and raise questions about Mamdani’s identity and values. Notably, the Ugandan immigrant did not obtain U.S. citizenship until 2018.

IN FULL

In a 2013 interview with the Hindustan Times, filmmaker Mira Nair, mother of the Democrats’ socialist New York City mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, described her son as “not an American at all.” Nair stated, “He is a total desi. Completely. We are not firangs at all. He is very much us. He is not an Uhmericcan (American) at all. He was born in Uganda, raised between India and America. He is at home in many places.”

The term “firang,” historically used in Hindi and Urdu to describe foreigners or Westerners, was criticized by attorney and GOP consultant Mehek Cooke. “It’s the word used back in India to mock outsiders, to say you don’t belong,” Cooke said in a recent interview. “Using it here about your own child raised in the United States carries the same tone as calling someone a derogatory word—or worse.”

Cooke added, “When Mamdani’s mother says her son was ‘never a firang and only desi,’ it’s a rejection of America. It’s ungrateful, disrespectful, and frankly repulsive to live in this country since age seven, receive every freedom, education, and opportunity America offers, and still deny being American.”

Zohran Mamdani, born in Uganda and a U.S. resident since age seven, holds dual citizenship and only became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. Nair emphasized, “We only speak Hindustani at home,” and described her son as a “very chaalu fellow,” meaning savvy or street smart.

His father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor, despises America, branding it “the genesis of… settler-colonialism,” and “the inspiration” for the Nazis.

“This isn’t just about identity, it’s about values,” Cooke said. “Rejecting the label of ‘American’ while living under the flag, enjoying the freedoms, and cashing in on the opportunities is a rejection of American values themselves: gratitude, unity, and pride in country.”

Image by Eden, Janine, and Jim.

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October 29, 2025
Politics

Democrat Shutdown Will Effectively Shutter EPA Next Week.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the EPA may furlough up to 89 percent of its workforce if the government shutdown extends into November.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Senate Democrats, and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our preference would be for the shutdown to end,” Zeldin said, warning of further furloughs if the shutdown continues into November.

🎯IMPACT: The government shutdown has stalled EPA projects like the Brownfields Program and delayed federal rule proposals.

IN FULL

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it will furlough an estimated 89 percent of its 12,000 employees next week if Senate Democrats continue to block government funding. According to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, around 4,000 employees have already been furloughed. However, officials have managed to prevent a larger lapse in staffing due to “multi-year funding” but warned that these efforts are delaying key projects, including the Brownfields Program, which focuses on cleaning up land contaminated by pollutants.

“We have a whole bunch of pots of carryover funding and as that carryover funding runs out, more of the total lapse plan ends up taking effect,” Zeldin explained, continuing: “Our preference would be for the shutdown to end.” He added that if the shutdown continues into the first or second week of November, the agency would have no choice but to implement a third phase of staffing cuts.

Senate Democrats blocked a vote to reopen the government for the 13th time on Tuesday, prolonging the federal shutdown, which has been ongoing for nearly one month since funding lapsed. Zeldin criticized Democrats for catering to a “far-left activist base” and resisting efforts to resolve the shutdown. “Democrats were desperately searching for some kind of … context or narrative to try to explain why they were fighting just to fight,” he said.

Zeldin also highlighted the EPA’s ongoing reorganization efforts, which aim to reduce its workforce to approximately 12,500 employees by the end of the year. He noted that the shutdown has not derailed the agency’s regulatory agenda but has delayed proposed rules from entering public comment periods. “The only impact of the shutdown that I could think of is any proposed rule that can’t start a public comment period during a shutdown,” he said.

The shutdown has also led to the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in climate-focused federal funding, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Zeldin emphasized that his agency had already cut more than $29 billion from what he described as a climate “slush fund” benefiting Biden-aligned organizations and solar-related grants before the shutdown began.

Image by Jewish Democratic Council of America.

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