Congress this week failed to reach an agreement to fund the government, meaning the shutdown will go on at least through the holiday weekend.
No votes are expected before next Tuesday, following the Columbus Day holiday.
The current standoff centers around seven votes. The GOP currently controls 53 seats in the Senate, and government funding measures require 60 votes for passage.
The Senate held multiple votes this week, steadily gaining Democrat votes but failed to reach the 60 required. Most recently, the Senate voted 55-45 in favor of passing an extension, with Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Angus King (I-ME) joined 52 Republicans, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted no.
The House recently passed an extension to November 21 and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said the chamber will stand in recess until the Senate agrees to a clean Continuing Resolution that mirrors the House-passed CR extending government funding through November 18.
USDA last week posted its FY26 “Lapse in Funding Plan” detailing agency operations during a government shutdown. In it, FSIS confirmed meat and poultry inspection will continue uninterrupted. In addition, AMS grading services should continue as scheduled as they, too, are considered essential employees.
According to the plan: “FSIS will continue to perform mission essential food safety operations required to protect life and property, including statutorily required inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products, investigations necessary to protect public health (outbreaks, recalls, etc.) , laboratory work essential to identifying public health concerns and threats, emergency preparedness, and minimum levels of other support functions necessary to maintain these activities. Additionally, mandatory administrative work related to the shutdown will also continue. These activities are necessarily implied (Category III) and are necessary to protect life and property (Category V).”
