ADVOCACY & POLICY UPDATE - October 6, 2025

Government Shutdown Hits Day Six as Senate Plans Another Vote

Washington Update

Appropriations

Senate Republicans have informed Democrats that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD) plans to bring the Labor-HHS-Education funding bill to the floor once the government reopens. Meanwhile, bipartisan negotiators are making progress on a three-bill spending package covering Military Construction–VA, Agriculture–FDA, and the Legislative Branch. Lawmakers report that discussions have gone smoothly, with only a few remaining issues to be resolved by committee leaders. Both parties see completing these measures as a potential step toward ending the government shutdown and advancing broader funding agreements.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA) rejected renewed negotiations to end the shutdown and instead extended the House recess through this week, urging Senate Democrats to pass the seven-week stopgap measure previously approved by the House. Johnson voiced support for President Donald Trump’s authority to reduce federal spending and staffing during the funding lapse, while noting that the president was not currently exercising that authority. On Friday, October 3, Johnson said he would keep the House in recess until the Senate acts on the stopgap funding bill approved by the House, signaling no plans to reconvene until Senate Democrats agree to that measure. 

The shutdown’s impact varies across federal agencies, with notable implications for education programs. Pell Grants and federal student loans continue to be distributed, and borrowers must still make payments. However, new program initiatives, non-Pell grantmaking, and civil rights investigations at the Department of Education are on hold. Some Head Start programs are disrupted, and districts located on federal land may lose anticipated federal support. While K–12 schools are largely protected in the short term due to reliance on state and local funding, concerns remain about the timing of federal funds typically distributed each October.

The Department of Education’s contingency plan calls for advance FY25 funding to proceed as scheduled, including $10.8 billion in Title I aid for high-poverty schools, $1.68 billion for teacher development under Title II, $9.2 billion for IDEA grants for students with disabilities, and $791 million for career and technical education. Continuation of these funds will depend on the duration of the shutdown and available resources.

Democrats and Republicans continue to blame each other as the shutdown enters its sixth day with no resolution in sight. Speaker Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries both indicated they are open to negotiating, but according to Jeffries, the parties haven’t spoken since last Monday.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The White House has withdrawn President Donald Trump’s nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) following widespread criticism. A new nominee is expected to be announced soon. Antoni, a Heritage Foundation economist, was nominated in September after Trump dismissed former Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. His nomination drew scrutiny over his limited experience, prior calls to suspend monthly jobs reports, and reports linking him to controversial activities. Some Senate Republicans questioned his independence and expertise, and his confirmation prospects were considered unlikely.

The BLS, led in the interim by Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski, plays a central role in producing employment and inflation data relied upon by policymakers, financial markets, and the Federal Reserve. The withdrawal comes as the government shutdown has sidelined most of the BLS’s staff and delayed the release of the September jobs report, further complicating economic assessments.

Senate HELP Committee Nominations

On Thursday, October 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled to vote on six of President Donald Trump’s Department of Labor (DOL) nominees. The slate includes Crystal Carey for general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Scott Mayer and James Murphy for NLRB membership, former Congressman Anthony D’Esposito for Inspector General at DOL, and Rosario Palmieri for Assistant Secretary for Labor Policy. Carey previously faced questions over her stance against a Biden-era NLRB decision on captive audience meetings, while Mayer was pressed on Boeing’s labor disputes with striking defense workers. D’Esposito’s nomination is moving forward after being unexpectedly withdrawn from consideration earlier this year.

Senate Nominees Vote

On Friday, October 6, the Senate voted on a group of nominees for the Departments Labor and Education as part of an en bloc consideration of more than 100 of President Donald Trump’s appointments. The slate included Kirsten Baesler for Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Kimberly Richey for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Mary Christina Riley for Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Congressional Affairs, and David Barker for Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. Baesler, Riley, and Barker were advanced earlier this year by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee in party-line votes. 

H-2A Visas

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued an interim final rule that reduces pay for H-2A visa holders by changing how their minimum wage is calculated. The rule revises the formula for the adverse effect wage rate, basing it on a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of wages across industries and factoring in the value of housing that employers are required to provide. Agricultural employers have welcomed the change, while critics argue it could undercut American workers and lower wages for seasonal migrant labor.

Click here to access the rule.

Senate HELP Committee Hearing

On Thursday, October 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold the hearing “AI’s Potential to Support Patients, Workers, Children, and Families,” to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on families and the workforce. The session will focus on both the benefits and risks of AI applications. The announcement follows letters sent by Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (LA) and Senator Josh Hawley (MO) to OpenAI, Anthropic, Character.AI, and Alphabet requesting details on how the companies are protecting children from potential harms. The Senators highlighted concerns that AI platforms may play a role in self-harm incidents among teenagers and asked the companies to clarify whether they use age-verification systems, limit certain content, or conduct human oversight of their tools. They also requested information on broader safety measures designed to prevent misuse.

Click here to access the hearing and learn more.

Click here to access the press release on the hearing.