USDA says SNAP benefits won't be issued on Nov. 1

A notice on top of its website says "the well has run dry."

Last Updated: October 26, 2025, 5:58 PM EDT

The Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website warning that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits won't be issued on Nov. 1.

"Bottom line, the well has run dry," reads the notice, which also blames Democrats for the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers remain at a stalemate on finding a government funding solution. The Senate has continued to fail to advance bill that would reopen the government until Nov. 21. The House remains out of session next week.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 09, 2025, 3:43 PM EDT

IRS walks back memo promising back pay for furloughed workers

In an email to staff Thursday morning, the IRS is now walking back guidance it provided in a previous internal memo to staff that stated furloughed employees were entitled to receive back pay, according to an email obtained by ABC News.

In the email with the subject line "Furlough guidance update," IRS staff were told that a previous memo "incorrectly stated the nature of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 as it relates to compensation for non-pay and non-duty status," and says OMB would provide future guidance.

A general view of the U.S. Capitol at sunrise during a continued partial shutdown of the federal government in Washington, October 6, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

On Thursday, the IRS sent an agency-wide email with guidance on furloughs included a line that stated the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 "requires" furloughed federal workers to receive back pay once funding is restored.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

Oct 09, 2025, 1:58 PM EDT

Senate again fails to advance clean funding bill, shutdown drags on with no end in sight

The Senate failed once again to advance the GOP clean short-term measure to fund the government for the seventh time by a vote of 54-45. It did not receive the necessary 60 votes to move forward.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against the bill, breaking with his party yet again.

Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, as well as Independent Angus King of Maine, voted in favor. No other Democrats switched their vote.

Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz missed the vote.

Earlier, the Senate failed to advance a Democratic-led funding bill that includes health care provisions by a vote of 47-50. This was the seventh time that effort has failed, too. Not one Republican supported it.

For now, the government funding stalemate continues with no clear end in sight, and the House remains out of session.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks to members of the media as he walks to a Senate Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol, October 08, 2025 in Washington.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters the Senate will be in session on Friday, where we could see another vote on the dueling funding bills.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller

Oct 09, 2025, 12:48 PM EDT

Trump, talking shutdown, says Democrats have 'lost their way'

President Donald Trump continued to criticize Democrats over the government shutdown, which has now entered its ninth day.

"You have Democrats that they've lost their way. They have no leadership. We don't even know who to deal with over there," Trump said as he convened a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House.

"Republicans have voted repeatedly to pass a clean, nonpartisan bill to reopen government at the same funding levels," Trump said.

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP

Democrats have so far opposed the clean continuing resolution as they push for health care provisions, specifically extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.

"We're not going to do anything -- only good for health care," Trump said. "We're really, I think, have become the party of good health care."

Oct 09, 2025, 12:34 PM EDT

Trump threatens to cut 'popular Democrat programs'

President Donald Trump continued to threaten to make cuts amid the shutdown and said he would be targeting "Democrat programs."

"We'll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren't popular with Republicans. Frankly, because that's the way it works. They wanted to do this, so we'll get a little taste of their own medicine," Trump said without giving any specifics.

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Legal experts argue the Constitution and federal law allow only Congress to declare cuts to federal agencies or remove them entirely.

The White House has not provided more details on the legality of Trump's threats, nor has it responded to questions as to how firing people who are not getting paid would cut down on waste.

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