Government Shutdown 2025 Update: Day 20 Crisis Deepens as 42 Million Americans Face Food Insecurity
- Joeziel Vazquez
- 3 days ago
- 18 min read
By Joeziel Joey Vazquez-Davila, CEO of CredlocityOctober 20, 2025 | Reading Time: 18 minutes
It's Monday morning, October 20th, and I'm watching something I never thought I'd see in America: states across the nation announcing they cannot feed 42 million of their most vulnerable citizens next month.
Twenty days into this government shutdown, we've crossed a terrifying threshold. This is no longer just about federal workers missing paychecks or national parks being closed. We're now staring at a humanitarian crisis that will hit America's poorest families in just 11 days.
As CEO of Credlocity, I've spent the past three weeks helping federal workers protect their credit scores and navigate financial hardship during this unprecedented shutdown. But what I learned this weekend changed everything. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—SNAP, which feeds one in eight Americans—is about to run out of money.
Let me be absolutely clear about what that means: On November 1st, unless Congress acts, 42 million Americans will not receive their food assistance. Families that depend on SNAP to feed their children will have nothing. Seniors living on fixed incomes will face impossible choices. Veterans who served this country will go hungry.
This is Day 20 of the 2025 government shutdown, and this is what you need to know.
The SNAP Benefits Crisis: November 1st Deadline
42 Million Americans Won't Get Food Assistance
Here are the facts, straight from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
SNAP has funding available through the end of October only. The program has a contingency fund of approximately $6 billion, but November benefits alone are expected to cost $8 billion. That's a $2 billion shortfall with no solution in sight.
On October 16th, USDA sent a memo to all state agencies with devastating instructions: halt the process of issuing November benefits until further notice.
Ronald Ward, acting head of SNAP, wrote in a letter obtained by multiple news outlets: "If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation."
States Are Already Announcing Benefit Cuts
As of this morning, the following states have officially announced November SNAP benefits will not be paid if the shutdown continues:
Pennsylvania: The Department of Human Services posted a blunt notice: "Because Republicans in Washington D.C., failed to pass a federal budget, causing the federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be paid. Starting October 16, SNAP benefits will not be paid until the federal government shutdown ends and funds are released to PA."
Texas: The Health and Human Services Commission warned that SNAP benefits for November will not be issued if the shutdown continues past October 27th—just one week from today.
Oregon: More than 750,000 Oregonians receiving SNAP were notified they will not get new benefits after October 31st.
West Virginia: The Department of Human Services said it's "very likely" the shutdown will delay November benefits if Congress doesn't reopen the government "in the coming days."
Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Colorado: All have issued similar warnings to millions of recipients.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the crisis last Thursday: "We're going to run out of money in two weeks. So you're talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown."
Who Uses SNAP? The Families About to Be Devastated
Let me paint you a picture of who's about to lose food assistance:
42 million Americans total
Average monthly benefit: $188 per person
One in eight Americans rely on this program
Many recipients work full-time jobs but still need assistance
Includes children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities
This isn't about "freeloaders" or "welfare queens"—those are ugly, false stereotypes. SNAP serves working families whose wages don't cover rising food costs. It serves seniors whose Social Security doesn't stretch far enough. It serves veterans who sacrificed for this country.
And in 11 days, they're all about to lose the assistance that keeps food on their tables.
The Perfect Storm: SNAP Crisis Meets New Restrictions
Here's what makes this even worse: November 1st isn't just when SNAP funding runs out. It's also the deadline for states to fully implement the massive SNAP restrictions that were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Republicans passed back in July.
These new restrictions, which I wrote about extensively in my analysis of the Big Beautiful Bill's implementation impacts, include:
Expanded Work Requirements: Able-bodied adults without dependents must work at least 80 hours per month, pursue education, or be in a training program to qualify. Without proof, benefits are limited to just three months.
Elimination of Waivers: Areas previously exempt from work requirements now need unemployment rates above 10% to qualify for waivers. Most rural communities no longer qualify.
Non-Citizen Eligibility Changes: Refugees, asylum seekers, and human trafficking survivors lose SNAP access. These are people here legally who fled violence and persecution.
State Cost-Sharing: Starting in fiscal year 2028, states with error rates above 6% must pay between 5-15% of SNAP benefit costs. Only seven states currently meet the 6% threshold.
So even if the shutdown ends and November benefits get paid, millions of people will lose SNAP access on November 1st anyway due to these new restrictions.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates these changes will cut $186 billion from SNAP over the next decade. That's $186 billion in food assistance stripped from America's poorest families.
Day 20: Third-Longest Shutdown in U.S. History
The Numbers That Tell the Story
As of this morning, October 20th, 2025:
20 days of government shutdown
Third-longest funding lapse in modern U.S. history
11 failed Senate votes on funding legislation
750,000 federal workers furloughed daily without pay
1.4 million essential workers working without paychecks
$7 billion per week in economic damage
$140 billion total economic loss so far
More than 10,000 federal workers facing permanent layoffs
Only two shutdowns in history have lasted longer:
December 2018-January 2019: 34 days (also under Trump)
December 1995-January 1996: 21 days
We're one day away from becoming the second-longest shutdown ever. And there's absolutely no end in sight.
Senate Fails for the 11th Time
This morning at approximately 6:30 PM Eastern, the Senate held its 11th vote on the Republican continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21st.
For the 11th time, it failed.
The vote was 50-43, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance. Republicans have 53 senators. They need at least seven Democrats to join them. Not a single Democrat has crossed over in any of the 11 votes.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune keeps bringing the same bill for a vote, hoping Democrats will break. Democrats keep voting no, demanding healthcare protections be included.
It's the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
The House Hasn't Voted Since September 19th
Want to know something infuriating? The House of Representatives hasn't held a single legislative vote since September 19th. That's 31 days ago.
Speaker Mike Johnson sent House members home and told them to stay there until the Senate passes something. His position: "We did our job. We passed a funding bill. Now it's on the Senate."
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said this morning on the Senate floor: "It's been over a month since the House of Representatives even took a single roll-call vote. That's shameful. That's derelict."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was even more blunt at his press conference: Republicans are "divorced from reality" and "have continued to function as nothing more than wholly owned subsidiaries of Donald Trump and his extreme administration."
Johnson did say he would bring the House back if the Senate passes a bill to pay federal workers and military members—but he added, "I don't have any faith that they're going to pass it, though. I think that they're going to continue to play games."
So the House won't vote because the Senate can't agree. The Senate can't agree because neither side will compromise. And 750,000 federal workers sit at home without paychecks while Congress points fingers.
Military Families: The October 15th Paycheck Crisis
Service Members Narrowly Avoided Missing Last Paycheck
Here's something that got buried in last week's news: active-duty military members almost didn't get paid on October 15th.
At the last possible moment, the Pentagon redirected funds to ensure service members received their paychecks. But defense officials have made it clear: they can't do that again.
The next military payday is November 1st—the same day SNAP benefits are scheduled to run out. Unless this shutdown ends, our military families will face an impossible choice: miss their mortgage payment or put food on the table.
Think about that. We're asking men and women to deploy overseas, patrol our borders, defend our country—and we might not pay them for it.
Senate to Vote on Military Pay Bill This Week
Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced today he will bring up legislation this week that would pay federal employees and military service members who have continued working during the shutdown.
It's a smart political move. Democrats will have to go on the record: do they support paying the military during the shutdown, or will they vote no?
Last week, Democrats voted against a full-year defense appropriations bill that included military pay and a pay increase. They argued it was a political trap—forcing them to vote on a single issue without addressing the broader funding crisis and healthcare concerns.
Now Republicans are trying the same tactic again with a narrower bill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' response: "Donald Trump definitively needs to get involved to kickstart negotiations over ending the shutdown."
Translation: Democrats aren't budging until Trump comes to the negotiating table.
Federal Workers: First Full Paycheck Missed Friday
The Financial Devastation Begins
On Friday, October 17th, federal workers missed their first full paycheck of the shutdown.
Think about what that means:
Mortgage payments due
Car loans due
Credit card bills due
Rent due
Groceries needed
Kids to feed
And no paycheck coming.
As I explained in my Day 2 shutdown update, this is when the real financial crisis begins for federal families. Missing one mortgage payment can drop your credit score by 100 points. That late payment stays on your credit report for seven years.
Seven years of higher interest rates. Seven years of difficulty getting approved for loans. Seven years of financial consequences—all because Congress couldn't do its job.
Permanent Layoffs Continue Despite Court Order
Remember in my Day 13 update when I wrote about the Trump administration's unprecedented plan to conduct permanent layoffs during the shutdown?
A federal judge in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order on October 15th, halting the layoffs. But the administration is appealing, and more than 4,100 workers have already received Reduction in Force (RIF) notices.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said last week the administration expects layoffs to be "north of 10,000" workers.
These aren't furloughs. These are permanent firings. People losing their jobs, their health insurance, their careers—during a government funding crisis.
It's never happened before in any previous shutdown. Legal experts say it violates Office of Personnel Management rules. But the Trump administration is doing it anyway.
Federal Courts Run Out of Funding Monday
Starting today, Monday, October 20th, all federal courts will no longer have funding to sustain full, paid operations.
What does that mean?
Criminal trials could be delayed
Civil cases will be backlogged
Court staff may be furloughed
Justice delayed is justice denied
The federal judiciary warned this would happen. They've been operating on reserve funds, but those funds are now exhausted.
The Political Standoff: Neither Side Will Blink
What Republicans Want
Republicans' position is straightforward:
Pass a "clean" continuing resolution funding the government at current levels through November 21st. Then we'll negotiate healthcare and other issues separately.
Their argument: We already passed this bill in the House. The Senate just needs 60 votes to pass it. Democrats are holding the government hostage over healthcare subsidies that don't even expire until December 31st.
Speaker Johnson keeps calling the Democratic healthcare push a "red herring"—an irrelevant distraction from the real issue of funding the government.
President Trump said this morning at a White House event honoring the LSU baseball team: "We're hoping the Democrats become much less deranged and that we will get the vote pretty soon. And I hear they're starting to feel that way too. They're starting to feel like they really have to do what's right for the country, and they will."
What Democrats Want
Democrats' position is equally firm:
Any funding bill must include an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversal of some Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Their argument: If we reopen the government without these protections, Republicans will never address them. Millions of Americans will lose health insurance or see their premiums double when ACA subsidies expire on December 31st.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor this morning: "Republicans seem happy not to work, happy not to negotiate, happy to let health care premiums spike for over 20 million working and middle-class Americans."
Hakeem Jeffries reiterated: "Our position has been that we are open, certainly, to anything bipartisan that emerges from the Senate in good faith, that reopens the government, but at the same time decisively addresses the Republican health care crisis."
The Healthcare Math
Let me break down the healthcare issue both sides are fighting over:
Enhanced ACA Subsidies: These subsidies help approximately 20 million Americans afford health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Without them, the Congressional Budget Office projects premiums could double for many families.
The subsidies expire December 31st, 2025. ACA open enrollment begins November 1st. Democrats argue people need to know NOW whether they'll have affordable coverage in 2026.
Medicaid Cuts: The One Big Beautiful Bill implemented new work requirements and eligibility restrictions on Medicaid. Democrats want to reverse some of these changes, particularly those affecting legal immigrants, refugees, and asylees.
Republicans argue these are separate issues that should be negotiated separately. Democrats say they're all part of the same healthcare crisis Republicans created.
Neither side is wrong. Both sides are being stubborn. And millions of Americans are caught in the middle.
The Economic Devastation: $140 Billion and Counting
The Direct Costs
According to the Congressional Budget Office, this shutdown is costing:
$7 billion per week in economic damage
$400 million per day to pay furloughed workers who aren't working
$140 billion total economic loss through Day 20
Oxford Economics estimates each week of shutdown reduces economic growth by 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points. If this shutdown lasts a full quarter—which has never happened before—it could slash growth by up to 2.4 percentage points.
That's catastrophic for the economy.
Travel Industry Devastation
The U.S. Travel Association projects $1 billion in weekly losses as tourists cancel trips to:
National parks (most are closed)
Smithsonian museums (all closed)
National monuments and historic sites
Washington D.C. tourism
I saw reports over the weekend that hotels in Washington D.C. are offering massive discounts because occupancy rates have plummeted. Restaurants near the National Mall are laying off staff. Tour companies are going bankrupt.
This is real economic damage that won't be recovered when the shutdown ends.
Airport Chaos and Flight Delays
Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers are considered essential workers. They must work during the shutdown—without pay.
The result? Predictable chaos.
The Federal Aviation Administration has reported air traffic controller shortages in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Houston. Flight delays have spread to Nashville, Dallas, Newark, and other major hubs.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—the world's busiest airport—announced this morning that TSA staffing shortages are causing "longer than usual" wait times of up to 30 minutes just for security screening.
Why? Because controllers are calling in sick to protest working without pay or to take part-time jobs to earn money. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed this is happening across the country.
Imagine being an air traffic controller. You're responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers every day. You're working long, stressful shifts. And you haven't been paid in three weeks.
That's the reality right now.
What This Means for Your Finances: Credlocity's Analysis
If You're a Federal Employee or Military Family
You're living through hell right now. I know that. At Credlocity, we've been taking calls from federal workers all week, and the stress is overwhelming.
Here's what you need to do immediately:
File for Unemployment Today: Don't wait another day. Most states allow furloughed federal workers to collect unemployment benefits. Every day you delay is money lost. Yes, you'll have to pay some of it back when you receive back pay, but you need cash NOW.
Contact Every Creditor Before Missing Payments: I cannot stress this enough. Call your mortgage company, car loan company, credit card companies—all of them. Many have specific hardship programs for federal workers during shutdowns. Get on those programs BEFORE you miss a payment.
Missing even one payment can devastate your credit score. Payment history is 35% of your FICO score. A single 30-day late payment can drop your score 100+ points and stay on your credit report for seven years.
Document Everything: Save every email, every furlough notice, every communication with creditors. If this affects your credit, you'll need documentation to dispute late payments later.
Check Federal Employee Assistance Programs:
Federal employee credit unions (many offer emergency loans)
Military relief societies (Army Emergency Relief, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance)
Community assistance programs
Food banks (there's no shame in needing help)
Prepare for Potential Layoffs: If you've received a RIF notice, understand your rights. Contact an employment attorney if possible. The administration's layoff strategy during a shutdown is unprecedented and legally questionable.
If You Receive SNAP Benefits
October benefits should arrive as scheduled. But November is in serious jeopardy.
What you should do:
Stretch October Benefits: If you can, make your October SNAP benefits last longer than usual. Buy shelf-stable items. Stock up on rice, beans, pasta, canned goods.
Contact Local Food Banks: Call 211 or visit Feeding America's website to find food banks near you. With 42 million people potentially losing SNAP, food banks will be overwhelmed, but they're doing everything they can.
Know Your State's Plan: Check your state human services website for updates on November benefits. Some states may have contingency plans or emergency funding.
Complete Your Renewals: Even during the shutdown, you're still responsible for completing SNAP renewals and reporting changes to your income or household. Don't let your benefits lapse due to administrative reasons.
Prepare for New Restrictions: Remember, November 1st is also when the One Big Beautiful Bill's SNAP restrictions take full effect. If you're subject to work requirements, make sure you have documentation of employment, education, or training.
If You're Not Directly Affected (But Will Be Soon)
Even if you're not a federal employee and don't receive SNAP, this shutdown will affect you:
Interest Rates: The shutdown creates economic uncertainty that affects Federal Reserve decisions. Your mortgage, car loan, and credit card rates are all influenced by broader economic conditions.
Credit Availability: Lenders become more conservative during economic uncertainty. If you're planning to apply for a mortgage or car loan, expect tougher approval standards and potentially higher rates.
Housing Market: Delays in FHA, VA, and USDA loan processing are slowing down home purchases and refinancing. If you're buying or selling a home, expect delays.
Local Economy: Those canceled infrastructure projects? Those were jobs in your community. Construction workers, suppliers, service providers—all affected. That impacts local economies, employment, and consumer spending.
Stock Market: Extended shutdowns create market volatility. If you have a 401(k) or investments, you're feeling the impact.
The Breaking Point: What Happens Next?
Three Scenarios for How This Ends
Based on everything I'm seeing, here's how I think this plays out:
Scenario 1: Collapse This Week (30% Probability)
The SNAP crisis forces action. When 42 million Americans face food insecurity and military families miss paychecks on November 1st, the political pressure becomes unbearable. Moderate Republicans break ranks and join Democrats on a compromise bill.
What triggers it: Public outrage, market volatility, or a few Republican senators deciding this has gone too far.
Scenario 2: Post-November 1st Deal (50% Probability)
The shutdown continues through November 1st. SNAP benefits don't get paid. Military families miss paychecks. The humanitarian crisis becomes undeniable. Within days, a panicked Congress passes emergency legislation to both reopen the government and fund SNAP retroactively.
What triggers it: The actual realization of the crisis—hungry children, struggling veterans, desperate families—creates images and stories the media can't ignore.
Scenario 3: Extended Crisis Through Thanksgiving (20% Probability)
Nobody backs down. This turns into a 2018-2019 situation that lasts into November or even December. Millions of Americans suffer. The economic damage becomes severe. Eventually someone blinks, but not before catastrophic harm is done.
What triggers it: Pure political stubbornness and miscalculation on both sides.
White House Economic Advisor Says "Likely to End This Week"
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said this morning on CNBC: "The government shutdown is likely to end sometime this week."
But he added a chilling caveat: If that doesn't happen, the Trump administration may impose "stronger measures" to force Democrats to cooperate.
What are "stronger measures"? Hassett didn't specify. But given this administration has already:
Threatened permanent layoffs during a shutdown
Canceled $26 billion in state infrastructure projects for political reasons
Laid off more than 4,100 workers despite a court order
I'm genuinely worried about what "stronger measures" might mean.
Hassett also suggested Democrats were waiting to vote until after this weekend's "No Kings" protests against President Trump. Those protests happened across the country over the weekend, with hundreds of thousands of Americans demonstrating against what they view as executive overreach and authoritarian tendencies.
The protests are over. The shutdown continues.
Credit Protection During the Shutdown: What You MUST Know
This is where my expertise at Credlocity becomes critical. I've spent 20 days helping federal workers protect their credit scores, and I've learned what works and what doesn't.
The Credit Score Death Spiral
Here's what happens to federal workers during extended shutdowns:
Week 1-2: Emergency funds depleted
Week 3-4: First mortgage payment missed → 30-day late mark reported to credit bureaus
Week 5-6: Car payment missed, credit cards start carrying balances
Week 7-8: Multiple late payments reported, credit score drops 100+ points
Week 9+: Collections calls start, financial stress becomes overwhelming
We're currently in Week 3. This is when mortgage and rent payments start getting missed. This is when the credit damage begins.
Your Rights and Protections
Being Furloughed Is NOT an Excuse for Late Payments: Credit bureaus and lenders don't care that the government shut down. A late payment is a late payment in their eyes.
BUT Creditors Have Hardship Programs: Many mortgage companies, auto lenders, and credit card issuers have specific programs for federal workers during shutdowns. You must contact them proactively.
Document Your Furlough Status: Keep copies of:
Your furlough notice
Unemployment claim confirmation
All communications with creditors
News articles about the shutdown
Pay stubs showing your last paycheck
This documentation is crucial if you need to dispute credit report entries later.
What Credlocity Is Doing to Help
We're offering extended consultations for federal workers and SNAP recipients affected by this shutdown. If you're facing financial hardship, schedule a free consultation.
We can help with:
Credit report review and dispute strategies
Creditor negotiation guidance
Financial planning for extended shutdowns
Credit rebuilding after the crisis ends
Understanding your rights during furloughs and layoffs
We've been through this before. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, we helped hundreds of federal workers navigate the credit nightmare. We know what works.
What You Can Do Right Now
For Federal Employees
✅ File for unemployment immediately
✅ Contact all creditors before missing payments
✅ Document your furlough status
✅ Check federal employee assistance programs
✅ Cut unnecessary expenses
For SNAP Recipients
✅ Stretch October benefits as far as possible
✅ Contact local food banks: Call 211
✅ Check your state's website for updates
✅ Complete all renewals and report changes
✅ Prepare for November 1st SNAP restriction changes
For Military Families
✅ Check emergency savings
✅ Contact military relief societies:
Army Emergency Relief
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
Air Force Aid Society
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance
✅ Talk to your base financial counselor
✅ Monitor updates on military pay legislation
For Everyone
✅ Call Congress: (202) 224-3121
✅ Contact your specific representatives
✅ Share accurate information (not political spin)
✅ Support federal workers and SNAP recipients in your community
✅ Vote in every election—this is what happens when we don't hold politicians accountable
The Bottom Line
It's Day 20 of the 2025 government shutdown. Tomorrow we'll likely become the second-longest shutdown in American history. And there's no end in sight.
Forty-two million Americans will lose food assistance in 11 days. Military families face missing paychecks on November 1st. Federal workers have already missed one full paycheck, with credit score damage mounting daily. The economy is losing $7 billion every week.
Both political parties are dug in. Neither will compromise. And real Americans are paying the price.
As I've said in all my previous shutdown updates, Congress hasn't passed a complete, on-time budget since 1997. That's 28 years of dysfunction. Twenty-eight years of continuing resolutions, last-minute deals, and government shutdowns used as political weapons.
We deserve better than this.
Federal workers deserve to get paid for their work. Military families deserve financial security while serving our country. SNAP recipients deserve to feed their families. And all Americans deserve a government that actually functions.
But until we demand accountability—until we vote out politicians who use shutdowns as leverage, until we refuse to accept this as "normal"—nothing will change.
This shutdown will end eventually. They always do. The question is how much damage will be done before that happens.
Stay strong. Stay informed. And if you need help navigating the financial fallout, you know where to find me.
About the Author
Joeziel Joey Vazquez-Davila is the CEO of Credlocity, a credit repair and financial wellness company dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve financial freedom. With extensive experience helping federal workers navigate financial crises during government shutdowns, Joey has become a trusted voice for consumer financial rights and credit protection. Connect with Joey and the Credlocity team at www.credlocity.com.
Related Reading from Our Shutdown Series
Resources for Federal Workers & Families
Contact Credlocity:
📧 Email: Admin@credlocity.com
💬 Chat: Available 24/7 on our website
Emergency Resources:
🍽️ Food Assistance: Call 211 or visit FeedingAmerica.org💼
Unemployment: File immediately through your state's unemployment office
🏦 Federal Employee Credit Unions: Contact for emergency loans
🎖️ Military Relief Societies: See links above
Government Updates:
📱 SNAP Updates: Your state human services website
🏛️ Federal Courts: uscourts.gov
✈️ TSA Wait Times: Check your airport's website before traveling
🏞️ National Parks: nps.gov for closure information
Last Updated: October 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM ET
Government Shutdown: Day 20 and counting
Next Critical Deadline: November 1, 2025 (SNAP funding exhausted, military pay at risk)
Disclaimer: This article represents the opinions and analysis of the author based on publicly available information as of October 20, 2025. It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or political advice. Situations are rapidly evolving; please verify all information with official government sources. For personalized guidance regarding your specific situation, please consult with appropriate professionals.
Stay updated: This is a developing crisis. Check back at www.credlocity.com/blog for daily updates as the shutdown continues.