The political deadlock in Washington shows no signs of easing as both Democratic and Republican proposals to fund the government shutdown failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed he would not reconvene the House to pass a standalone funding bill while the shutdown continues, further deepening the stalemate on Capitol Hill.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration released new information detailing the scope of layoffs triggered by the government shutdown. According to a court filing in a joint lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Government Employees and the AFL-CIO, more than 4,000 federal workers across seven agencies have received reduction in force (RIF) notices.
government shutdown layoffs
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reported that the Departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education have issued the highest number of layoff notices as of Friday evening.
Over 4,000 Federal Workers Receive Layoff Notices:
- Commerce: ~315 employees
- Education: ~466 employees
- Energy: ~187 employees
- Health and Human Services: ~1,100–1,200 employees
- Housing and Urban Development: ~442 employees
- Homeland Security: ~176 employees
- Treasury: ~1,446 employees
Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a general “intent to RIF” notice to about 20–30 employees, warning that they may be affected by future layoffs if funding is not restored.
The growing number of layoff notices underscores the far-reaching impact of the prolonged shutdown, with thousands of federal employees facing uncertainty as political negotiations remain at an impasse.
