Senator Delivers Marathon Speech; White House to Resume Aid to Farmers Amid Shutdown

It's day 22 of the government shutdown, now officially the second longest in American history. The White House and Senate Republicans continue their efforts to keep federal workers paid and reopen the government while House and Senate Democrats double down on their messaging and demands. Our Washington correspondent, Lu Adoro Martinez, has more. saluting the senator from Oregon, Senator Mkeley, for standing strong and long in defense of our democracy and our Constitution and ringing the alarm bells. Authoritarianism is here. Senate Democrats have been taking turns for over 18 hours asking questions on the Senate floor as Democratic Senator Jeff Mkeley delivers a marathonlong speech accusing the Trump administration of being authoritarian. While House Democrats warn of the impending impact that SNAP beneficiaries will endure starting November 1st when aid stop being delivered in most states. If this shutdown of the federal government by Donald Trump and Republicans continue, folks may even lose nutritional assistance benefits that they depend on to feed themselves, their children, and their families, and keep food on the table. >> The Trump administration has managed thus far to reallocate funds to pay active duty military personnel and keep the Women, Infant, and Children Program, otherwise known as WIC, afloat during the government shutdown. this point. I just want to get the government open at this point. It's not blaming or who's winning or who's losing because the guarantee who is losing and that's Americans right now. I am now fighting to opening because of the two million Pennians that are on SNAP and those funds are running out. 2 million people in Pennsylvania depend on this to feed themselves and their family. The Trump administration also announced this Tuesday it would be reallocating $3 billion to reopen Farm Service agency offices and resume aid to farmers. House Republicans and Senate Republicans continue to offer exit ramps for Democrats to reopen government or alleviate the pain on the federal workforce. What we're what we're talking about is that obviously the calendar is being eaten up by all this political nonsense by the Democrats. We're running out of time to do very important necessary things. The Senate will vote today for a 12th time on a continuing resolution to reopen government. And Senate Republicans have teed up a vote for a bill on Thursday to pay the federal workforce. Both bills are expected to fail without Democratic support. Reporting from Washington, DC, Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News.