By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>-

WASHINGTON — The federal government started shutting down early Wednesday after Congress failed to approve a funding bill before the beginning of the new fiscal year — resulting in widespread ramifications for hundreds of programs and giving the Trump administration an avenue to fire federal workers en masse.

The U.S. Senate was unable to advance two short-term government funding bills Tuesday when Democrats and Republicans deadlocked for the second time this month, with just hours to go before the midnight Tuesday shutdown deadline.

Senators voted<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00535.htm" target="_blank">&nbsp;55-45</a>&nbsp;on Republicans’ bill that would fund the government for seven weeks and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00534.htm" target="_blank">47-53</a>&nbsp;on a Democratic stopgap proposal that would keep the lights on for a month and included several health care provisions that they said were needed for their support. Neither had the 60 votes needed to advance.&nbsp;

Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with GOP senators on their stopgap bill. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted against it.

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said in a<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/M-25-35-Status-of-Agency-Operations.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;memo</a>&nbsp;to departments and agencies Tuesday night after the Senate vote that “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” Vought said federal employees should report for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake shutdown activities.

The consequences of a shutdown will be sweeping in the nation’s capital and across the country, where states are&nbsp;<a href="https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/30/arkansas-agencies-directed-to-furlough-employees-if-federal-government-shuts-down/" target="_blank">bracing for the impact.</a>&nbsp;About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/about-750000-federal-workers-will-be-furloughed-shutdown-nonpartisan-cbo-projects" target="_blank">750,000 federal workers</a>&nbsp;could be furloughed, leading to a $400 million impact a day, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported. All federal employees would go unpaid until the shutdown is over.

Additionally, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">plans to lay off</a>&nbsp;thousands of federal employees, which would reshape the federal workforce. President Donald Trump again vowed Tuesday to undertake layoffs and a major government employee union filed suit in federal court in advance of such a move.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said hours before the votes there wouldn’t be any talks with Democrats during a shutdown.&nbsp;

“The negotiation happens when the government is open. So let’s keep the government open and then we will have the negotiations,” Thune said.&nbsp;

“We’re happy to sit down and talk about these issues that they’re interested in,” he said. “But it should not have anything to do with whether or not for a seven-week period we keep the government open, so that this government can continue to do its work and that we can do our work through the regular appropriations process to fund the government.”&nbsp;

After the votes failed, Thune expressed his frustration with Democrats during a press conference.&nbsp;

“This is so unnecessary and uncalled for,” he said.&nbsp;

Thune said he plans to bring up a vote on the continuing resolution again. He said as soon as Wednesday the federal government can be funded if five Democrats voted with Republicans.&nbsp;

“Democrats may have chosen to shut down the government, but we can reopen it tomorrow,” Thune said.&nbsp;

Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming said the “cracks in the Democrats are already showing,” noting that three Democrats voted with Republicans Tuesday night.&nbsp;

“There is bipartisan support for keeping the government open,” Barrasso said. “We’re happy to see that the Democrats are already starting to break from (Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer) and we’re going to continue to offer a clean (continuing resolution) on the floor of the Senate to open the government for the next seven weeks.”

Health care tax credits at center of standoff

The disagreement isn’t entirely about GOP lawmakers writing their short-term funding bill behind closed doors and then expecting Democrats to help advance it in the Senate, where bipartisanship is required for major legislation.

Democratic leaders have raised concerns for weeks about the end-of-year sunset of enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, arguing a solution is needed now ahead of the open enrollment period starting on Nov. 1.&nbsp;

Democrats have also grown increasingly frustrated with the White House budget office’s unilateral actions on spending, arguing Vought is significantly eroding Congress’ constitutional power of the purse.&nbsp;Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/maine-gop-sen-collins-says-trump-should-be-sued-gao-illegally-canceling-funds" target="_blank">said Tuesday&nbsp;</a>the Government Accountability Office should sue the Trump administration over its efforts to freeze or unilaterally cancel spending approved by Congress.&nbsp;

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats need an agreement with Republicans to extend the enhanced tax credits.&nbsp;

Schumer said people will begin getting notices in October telling them how much the cost of their ACA plans will increase during the next year, which he expects will ratchet up pressure on Republican leaders to broker a bipartisan agreement.&nbsp;

“We’re going to be right there explaining to them it’s because the Republicans wouldn’t negotiate with us,” Schumer said, referring to consumers. “We’re ready to do it anytime. And there will be huge heat on (Republicans) on this issue.”

People who buy health insurance on the ACA marketplace and receive subsidies through enhanced ACA tax credits could expect to pay on average more than double for annual premiums in 2026 if the credits expire as scheduled at the end of this year, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday by the nonprofit health policy research organization KFF.&nbsp;

The analysis found premiums could increase from an average of $888 this year to $1,904 in 2026.

Schumer also rebuffed GOP leaders saying that Democrats want to include people without legal immigration status in federal health care programs.&nbsp;

“They say that undocumented people are going to get these credits. That is absolutely false. That is one of the big lies they tell, so they don’t have to discuss the issues,” Schumer said. “The federal government by law that we passed does not fund health insurance for undocumented immigrants in Medicaid, nor the ACA nor Medicare. Undocumented immigrants do not get federal health insurance premiums.”&nbsp;

Immigrants in the country without legal authorization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/5-key-facts-about-immigrants-and-medicaid/" target="_blank">are not eligible</a>&nbsp;for Medicaid, and neither are most immigrants with legal status, such as those with student visas or enrollment in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.&nbsp;

Only immigrants with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tbl1_ovrvw-fed-pgms-rev-2024-04-1.pdf" target="_blank">“qualified status,”</a>&nbsp;such as legal permanent residents, asylees and refugees, are able to get Medicaid benefits, and they usually have to wait five years before their coverage can even begin.&nbsp;

Democrats explain why they voted with GOP&nbsp;

Cortez Masto of Nevada wrote in a statement explaining her vote to advance the GOP stopgap bill that she could not support “a costly shutdown that would hurt Nevada families and hand even more power to this reckless administration.”

“We need a bipartisan solution to address this impending health care crisis, but we should not be swapping the pain of one group of Americans for another,” she added. “I remain focused on protecting health care for working families, and I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work together to tackle this problem.”

Pennsylvania’s Fetterman wrote in a statement of his own that his vote on the Republican bill “was for our country over my party.

“Together, we must find a better way forward.”

Collins said during a brief interview before the vote she is worried about the broad authority the White House holds during a shutdown and how the Office of Management and Budget has indicated it will use that power.&nbsp;

“I’m much more concerned about OMB sending signals that there should be mass firings of federal employees who have the misfortune to be designated as non-essential, when in fact they’re performing very essential work, they’re just not being paid,” Collins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven, chairman of the Agriculture spending subcommittee, said lawmakers will have to sort through how various departments implement their contingency plans as well as the possibility of mass layoffs during a shutdown.&nbsp;

“We’ll have to work through those things and figure out how we do keep things going as best we can during this Democrat shutdown,” Hoeven said.

West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Republicans are “unified in the belief that this is an easy choice” to fund the government with a stopgap bill that doesn’t include any contentious or political provisions.&nbsp;

Capito — who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor — said there are several programs that will be “missed” during a shutdown.&nbsp;

“And that’s concerning. So I think the option is to keep the government open so we can avoid this pain,” Capito said.&nbsp;

‘I’m not optimistic that we’re going to get a path forward’

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said he is worried about the possible impacts of a shutdown on his home state and that keeping the government open is the only way to avoid that.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’m sure the administration will do everything they can,” Hawley said. “But the solution is to not shut the government down. I mean, why would you punish working people because you’re not getting what you want on any issue, whatever it is.”

South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said he doesn’t expect a shutdown will end until after Democrats have sent a message to their voters.&nbsp;

“I’m not optimistic that we’re going to get a path forward until they’ve had a shutdown,” he said.&nbsp;

Rounds, who negotiated a handshake agreement with the White House budget director this summer to preserve some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/tribal-radio-stations-wait-9m-pledged-congressional-handshake-deal" target="_blank">funding for rural tribal radio stations</a>&nbsp;after Congress eliminated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, said that deal could be affected by a shutdown.&nbsp;

“They’re putting the administration in a position where they can pick and choose what they’re going to do, and a shutdown is not going to be beneficial to these Native American radio stations,” Rounds said.&nbsp;

Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said she wants Democrats and Republicans to negotiate on health care provisions.

“I’ve been making the case constantly, that (it) is literally my obligation to try and fight for health care, and I’m willing to talk to anyone,” she said. “I’m willing to accept that I certainly will not get everything I want.”

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said that while Democrats agreed to help advance what’s known as a continuing resolution in March, they can’t now because of “what President Trump is doing to this country, particularly when it comes to health care costs for families.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The shutdown will significantly affect the operations of the federal government as lawmakers have not passed any of the dozen full-year appropriations bills that finance agency operations. Oct. 1 is the beginning of the new fiscal year for the federal government.

Departments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/hundreds-thousands-federal-employees-face-furloughs-under-trump-shutdown-plans" target="_blank">began releasing updated contingency plans</a>&nbsp;this weekend, detailing how many of their employees would work during a government shutdown and how many would be furloughed.

The Interior Department, which includes the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doi.gov/shutdown" target="_blank">posted its updated plans</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday.&nbsp;

The National Park Service plans to furlough 9,300 of its 14,500 workers.&nbsp;

The Trump administration will allow several activities necessary for the protection of life or property to continue, including fire suppression for active fires, permitting and monitoring First Amendment activities, border and coastal protection and surveillance, and law enforcement and emergency response.

The contingency plan says that roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors,” but it adds that if “access becomes a safety, health or resource protection issue … the area must be closed.”

In anticipation of layoffs by the Trump administration, labor unions representing more than 1 million federal workers&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.457131/gov.uscourts.cand.457131.1.0.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in the Northern District of California on Tuesday to block the Trump administration from carrying out mass firings. The suit argues that there is no statutory authority to fire federal employees during a government shutdown.

“These actions are contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious, and the cynical use of federal employees as a pawn in Congressional deliberations should be declared unlawful and enjoined by this Court,” according to the suit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Ashley Murray and Shauneen Miranda contributed to this report.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759022317143.png" alt="U.S. Capitol  (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
                        <figcaption>U.S. Capitol  (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>-</p><p>WASHINGTON — The federal government started shutting down early Wednesday after Congress failed to approve a funding bill before the beginning of the new fiscal year — resulting in widespread ramifications for hundreds of programs and giving the Trump administration an avenue to fire federal workers en masse.</p><p>The U.S. Senate was unable to advance two short-term government funding bills Tuesday when Democrats and Republicans deadlocked for the second time this month, with just hours to go before the midnight Tuesday shutdown deadline.</p><p>Senators voted<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00535.htm" target="_blank">&nbsp;55-45</a>&nbsp;on Republicans’ bill that would fund the government for seven weeks and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00534.htm" target="_blank">47-53</a>&nbsp;on a Democratic stopgap proposal that would keep the lights on for a month and included several health care provisions that they said were needed for their support. Neither had the 60 votes needed to advance.&nbsp;</p><p>Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with GOP senators on their stopgap bill. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted against it.</p><p>White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said in a<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/M-25-35-Status-of-Agency-Operations.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;memo</a>&nbsp;to departments and agencies Tuesday night after the Senate vote that “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” Vought said federal employees should report for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake shutdown activities.</p><p>The consequences of a shutdown will be sweeping in the nation’s capital and across the country, where states are&nbsp;<a href="https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/30/arkansas-agencies-directed-to-furlough-employees-if-federal-government-shuts-down/" target="_blank">bracing for the impact.</a>&nbsp;About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/about-750000-federal-workers-will-be-furloughed-shutdown-nonpartisan-cbo-projects" target="_blank">750,000 federal workers</a>&nbsp;could be furloughed, leading to a $400 million impact a day, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported. All federal employees would go unpaid until the shutdown is over.</p><p>Additionally, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">plans to lay off</a>&nbsp;thousands of federal employees, which would reshape the federal workforce. President Donald Trump again vowed Tuesday to undertake layoffs and a major government employee union filed suit in federal court in advance of such a move.</p><h2>More votes on GOP bill planned</h2><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said hours before the votes there wouldn’t be any talks with Democrats during a shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>“The negotiation happens when the government is open. So let’s keep the government open and then we will have the negotiations,” Thune said.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re happy to sit down and talk about these issues that they’re interested in,” he said. “But it should not have anything to do with whether or not for a seven-week period we keep the government open, so that this government can continue to do its work and that we can do our work through the regular appropriations process to fund the government.”&nbsp;</p><p>After the votes failed, Thune expressed his frustration with Democrats during a press conference.&nbsp;</p><p>“This is so unnecessary and uncalled for,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>Thune said he plans to bring up a vote on the continuing resolution again. He said as soon as Wednesday the federal government can be funded if five Democrats voted with Republicans.&nbsp;</p><p>“Democrats may have chosen to shut down the government, but we can reopen it tomorrow,” Thune said.&nbsp;</p><p>Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming said the “cracks in the Democrats are already showing,” noting that three Democrats voted with Republicans Tuesday night.&nbsp;</p><p>“There is bipartisan support for keeping the government open,” Barrasso said. “We’re happy to see that the Democrats are already starting to break from (Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer) and we’re going to continue to offer a clean (continuing resolution) on the floor of the Senate to open the government for the next seven weeks.”</p><h2>Health care tax credits at center of standoff</h2><p>The disagreement isn’t entirely about GOP lawmakers writing their short-term funding bill behind closed doors and then expecting Democrats to help advance it in the Senate, where bipartisanship is required for major legislation.</p><p>Democratic leaders have raised concerns for weeks about the end-of-year sunset of enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, arguing a solution is needed now ahead of the open enrollment period starting on Nov. 1.&nbsp;</p><p>Democrats have also grown increasingly frustrated with the White House budget office’s unilateral actions on spending, arguing Vought is significantly eroding Congress’ constitutional power of the purse.&nbsp;Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/maine-gop-sen-collins-says-trump-should-be-sued-gao-illegally-canceling-funds" target="_blank">said Tuesday&nbsp;</a>the Government Accountability Office should sue the Trump administration over its efforts to freeze or unilaterally cancel spending approved by Congress.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats need an agreement with Republicans to extend the enhanced tax credits.&nbsp;</p><p>Schumer said people will begin getting notices in October telling them how much the cost of their ACA plans will increase during the next year, which he expects will ratchet up pressure on Republican leaders to broker a bipartisan agreement.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re going to be right there explaining to them it’s because the Republicans wouldn’t negotiate with us,” Schumer said, referring to consumers. “We’re ready to do it anytime. And there will be huge heat on (Republicans) on this issue.”</p><p>People who buy health insurance on the ACA marketplace and receive subsidies through enhanced ACA tax credits could expect to pay on average more than double for annual premiums in 2026 if the credits expire as scheduled at the end of this year, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday by the nonprofit health policy research organization KFF.&nbsp;</p><p>The analysis found premiums could increase from an average of $888 this year to $1,904 in 2026.</p><h2>Claims about immigrants&nbsp;</h2><p>Schumer also rebuffed GOP leaders saying that Democrats want to include people without legal immigration status in federal health care programs.&nbsp;</p><p>“They say that undocumented people are going to get these credits. That is absolutely false. That is one of the big lies they tell, so they don’t have to discuss the issues,” Schumer said. “The federal government by law that we passed does not fund health insurance for undocumented immigrants in Medicaid, nor the ACA nor Medicare. Undocumented immigrants do not get federal health insurance premiums.”&nbsp;</p><p>Immigrants in the country without legal authorization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/5-key-facts-about-immigrants-and-medicaid/" target="_blank">are not eligible</a>&nbsp;for Medicaid, and neither are most immigrants with legal status, such as those with student visas or enrollment in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.&nbsp;</p><p>Only immigrants with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tbl1_ovrvw-fed-pgms-rev-2024-04-1.pdf" target="_blank">“qualified status,”</a>&nbsp;such as legal permanent residents, asylees and refugees, are able to get Medicaid benefits, and they usually have to wait five years before their coverage can even begin.&nbsp;</p><h2>Democrats explain why they voted with GOP&nbsp;</h2><p>Cortez Masto of Nevada wrote in a statement explaining her vote to advance the GOP stopgap bill that she could not support “a costly shutdown that would hurt Nevada families and hand even more power to this reckless administration.”</p><p>“We need a bipartisan solution to address this impending health care crisis, but we should not be swapping the pain of one group of Americans for another,” she added. “I remain focused on protecting health care for working families, and I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work together to tackle this problem.”</p><p>Pennsylvania’s Fetterman wrote in a statement of his own that his vote on the Republican bill “was for our country over my party.</p><p>“Together, we must find a better way forward.”</p><p>Collins said during a brief interview before the vote she is worried about the broad authority the White House holds during a shutdown and how the Office of Management and Budget has indicated it will use that power.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m much more concerned about OMB sending signals that there should be mass firings of federal employees who have the misfortune to be designated as non-essential, when in fact they’re performing very essential work, they’re just not being paid,” Collins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven, chairman of the Agriculture spending subcommittee, said lawmakers will have to sort through how various departments implement their contingency plans as well as the possibility of mass layoffs during a shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ll have to work through those things and figure out how we do keep things going as best we can during this Democrat shutdown,” Hoeven said.</p><p>West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Republicans are “unified in the belief that this is an easy choice” to fund the government with a stopgap bill that doesn’t include any contentious or political provisions.&nbsp;</p><p>Capito — who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor — said there are several programs that will be “missed” during a shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>“And that’s concerning. So I think the option is to keep the government open so we can avoid this pain,” Capito said.&nbsp;</p><h2>‘I’m not optimistic that we’re going to get a path forward’</h2><p>Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said he is worried about the possible impacts of a shutdown on his home state and that keeping the government open is the only way to avoid that.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m sure the administration will do everything they can,” Hawley said. “But the solution is to not shut the government down. I mean, why would you punish working people because you’re not getting what you want on any issue, whatever it is.”</p><p>South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said he doesn’t expect a shutdown will end until after Democrats have sent a message to their voters.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m not optimistic that we’re going to get a path forward until they’ve had a shutdown,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>Rounds, who negotiated a handshake agreement with the White House budget director this summer to preserve some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/tribal-radio-stations-wait-9m-pledged-congressional-handshake-deal" target="_blank">funding for rural tribal radio stations</a>&nbsp;after Congress eliminated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, said that deal could be affected by a shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>“They’re putting the administration in a position where they can pick and choose what they’re going to do, and a shutdown is not going to be beneficial to these Native American radio stations,” Rounds said.&nbsp;</p><p>Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said she wants Democrats and Republicans to negotiate on health care provisions.</p><p>“I’ve been making the case constantly, that (it) is literally my obligation to try and fight for health care, and I’m willing to talk to anyone,” she said. “I’m willing to accept that I certainly will not get everything I want.”</p><p>Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said that while Democrats agreed to help advance what’s known as a continuing resolution in March, they can’t now because of “what President Trump is doing to this country, particularly when it comes to health care costs for families.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The shutdown will significantly affect the operations of the federal government as lawmakers have not passed any of the dozen full-year appropriations bills that finance agency operations. Oct. 1 is the beginning of the new fiscal year for the federal government.</p><h2>Shutdown plan for national parks</h2><p>Departments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/hundreds-thousands-federal-employees-face-furloughs-under-trump-shutdown-plans" target="_blank">began releasing updated contingency plans</a>&nbsp;this weekend, detailing how many of their employees would work during a government shutdown and how many would be furloughed.</p><p>The Interior Department, which includes the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doi.gov/shutdown" target="_blank">posted its updated plans</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday.&nbsp;</p><p>The National Park Service plans to furlough 9,300 of its 14,500 workers.&nbsp;</p><p>The Trump administration will allow several activities necessary for the protection of life or property to continue, including fire suppression for active fires, permitting and monitoring First Amendment activities, border and coastal protection and surveillance, and law enforcement and emergency response.</p><p>The contingency plan says that roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors,” but it adds that if “access becomes a safety, health or resource protection issue … the area must be closed.”</p><h2>Union files suit</h2><p>In anticipation of layoffs by the Trump administration, labor unions representing more than 1 million federal workers&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.457131/gov.uscourts.cand.457131.1.0.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in the Northern District of California on Tuesday to block the Trump administration from carrying out mass firings. The suit argues that there is no statutory authority to fire federal employees during a government shutdown.</p><p>“These actions are contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious, and the cynical use of federal employees as a pawn in Congressional deliberations should be declared unlawful and enjoined by this Court,” according to the suit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.</p><p>Ashley Murray and Shauneen Miranda contributed to this report.&nbsp;</p>

Federal government shutdown begins, with no easy exit in sight

By:<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/author/ropshal/">Robin Opsahl</a><br><a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts has resigned from his position effective immediately, lawyers representing him said Tuesday.

Roberts, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-in-ice-custody-after-arrest/">detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Friday</a>, had been&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/29/state-board-revokes-dmps-superintendent-ian-roberts-license-after-ice-arrest/">placed on unpaid administrative leave</a>&nbsp;by the Des Moines School Board Monday after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his license. ICE agents had arrested the superintendent, who was born in Guyana, during a “targeted enforcement operation” Friday, and he allegedly evaded arrest. According to an ICE news release, Roberts’ vehicle contained a handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 in cash.

ICE stated Roberts had been given a “final order of removal by an immigration judge” in May 2024. The federal agency stated Roberts was in the country unlawfully, having first come to the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa.

Attorney Alfredo Parrish, representing Roberts, confirmed that Roberts was a citizen of Guyana and served in the country’s military, but said his office was trying to work on getting more information on the immigration case proceedings that led to his arrest by ICE. In April 2025, a Texas immigration judge had decided not to reopen Roberts’ case in absentia.

Parrish said Roberts had received a letter from the prior attorney for his immigration case in Texas which said “his case had been closed successfully, and he was under the impression that it had been.” Parrish said his firm is in the process of filing a motion to reopen Roberts’ immigration case.

The attorney said it was a “complex case.”

“There are several jurisdictions that are involved, there are several law enforcement entities that are involved,” Parrish said. “… There (are) so many entities involved that we have touched bases with to try to work through this, through the consulate in New York for Guyana, through all the many other entities we’ve been trying to work through this case with. We want you to know that Dr. Roberts’ greatest concern is about his students who he actually loves, and the students who love him back, and his staff.”

While Roberts is resigning from the superintendent position, Parrish said his law firm has filed a request for stay on behalf of Roberts in the Omaha, Nebraska, federal immigration court. Roberts is currently being held at the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City. Parrish said two of his staff drove to Omaha to file the motion Monday, and that earlier Tuesday, the law firm was in communication with Roberts.

“He understands that he has the support (of the community), and it really gives him inspiration,” Parrish said. “His spirits are high. He was very well-engaged in all our discussions this morning, for about the last two hours.”

District’s hiring procedures questioned

Some of the questions surrounding the case are focused on the Des Moines school district’s vetting process for hiring Roberts. DMPS officials have said Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation showing his employment eligibility when hired.

The National School Board Coalition, a conservative K-12 advocacy organization, claimed in a news release the consultant Baker-Eubanks, one of the entities hired by DMPS to perform third-party background checks during Roberts’ hiring process, “admitted that it did not perform a basic I-9 verification.”

This claim is referring to a statement made by&nbsp;Baker-Eubanks CEO Kim Cockerham&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2025/09/28/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-background-check-ian-roberts/86375977007/" target="_blank">to the Des Moines Register</a>. Cockerham said the criminal background check performed does not confirm a person’s ability to legally work in the U.S., saying “that’s not even a service that we offer.” Cockerham said, according to the Register.

Laura Zorc, chair of the National School Board Coalition, said Roberts’ hiring process “reveals a critical oversight” in schools boards hiring search firms to fill school administration positions.

“If advising the Des Moines school board, NSBC would recommend working with their board attorney to review their contract agreement with consultants JQ Consultants and Baker-Eubanks for potential recourse, including seeking a full refund, legal, staff time, and covering the costs of rehiring a new superintendent if the contract was breached,” Zorc said in the release.

Board President Jackie Norris said Monday that the board asked Roberts’ attorney to provide documentation and verification of his citizenship status by 12 p.m. Tuesday, with plans to meet at 7:30 p.m. that day to discuss ending Roberts’ employment contract. Parrish said the letter of resignation was being sent to school officials Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn said late Monday the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed with the U.S. Department of Justice through a Freedom of Information Act and formal inquiry that Roberts was subject to a final removal order under the Immigration and Nationality Act. He also said in a statement it was “unacceptable that someone under a final order of deportation and without legal work authorization was allowed to lead Iowa’s largest public school system.”

“Every parent should be able to trust that school leaders are fully vetted, legally employed, and held to the highest standards of accountability,” Nunn said. “I want to thank our federal agencies for their timely response and commitment to transparency as we work to protect our communities.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759275598772.png" alt="Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts made remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Lincoln High School’s new athletic complex Aug. 21, 2025 in Des Moines. (Photo courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)" />
                        <figcaption>Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts made remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Lincoln High School’s new athletic complex Aug. 21, 2025 in Des Moines. (Photo courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/author/ropshal/">Robin Opsahl</a><br><a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a></p><p>Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts has resigned from his position effective immediately, lawyers representing him said Tuesday.</p><p>Roberts, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-in-ice-custody-after-arrest/">detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Friday</a>, had been&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/29/state-board-revokes-dmps-superintendent-ian-roberts-license-after-ice-arrest/">placed on unpaid administrative leave</a>&nbsp;by the Des Moines School Board Monday after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his license. ICE agents had arrested the superintendent, who was born in Guyana, during a “targeted enforcement operation” Friday, and he allegedly evaded arrest. According to an ICE news release, Roberts’ vehicle contained a handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 in cash.</p><p>ICE stated Roberts had been given a “final order of removal by an immigration judge” in May 2024. The federal agency stated Roberts was in the country unlawfully, having first come to the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa.</p><p>Attorney Alfredo Parrish, representing Roberts, confirmed that Roberts was a citizen of Guyana and served in the country’s military, but said his office was trying to work on getting more information on the immigration case proceedings that led to his arrest by ICE. In April 2025, a Texas immigration judge had decided not to reopen Roberts’ case in absentia.</p><p>Parrish said Roberts had received a letter from the prior attorney for his immigration case in Texas which said “his case had been closed successfully, and he was under the impression that it had been.” Parrish said his firm is in the process of filing a motion to reopen Roberts’ immigration case.</p><p>The attorney said it was a “complex case.”</p><p>“There are several jurisdictions that are involved, there are several law enforcement entities that are involved,” Parrish said. “… There (are) so many entities involved that we have touched bases with to try to work through this, through the consulate in New York for Guyana, through all the many other entities we’ve been trying to work through this case with. We want you to know that Dr. Roberts’ greatest concern is about his students who he actually loves, and the students who love him back, and his staff.”</p><p>While Roberts is resigning from the superintendent position, Parrish said his law firm has filed a request for stay on behalf of Roberts in the Omaha, Nebraska, federal immigration court. Roberts is currently being held at the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City. Parrish said two of his staff drove to Omaha to file the motion Monday, and that earlier Tuesday, the law firm was in communication with Roberts.</p><p>“He understands that he has the support (of the community), and it really gives him inspiration,” Parrish said. “His spirits are high. He was very well-engaged in all our discussions this morning, for about the last two hours.”</p><h2>District’s hiring procedures questioned</h2><p>Some of the questions surrounding the case are focused on the Des Moines school district’s vetting process for hiring Roberts. DMPS officials have said Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation showing his employment eligibility when hired.</p><p>The National School Board Coalition, a conservative K-12 advocacy organization, claimed in a news release the consultant Baker-Eubanks, one of the entities hired by DMPS to perform third-party background checks during Roberts’ hiring process, “admitted that it did not perform a basic I-9 verification.”</p><p>This claim is referring to a statement made by&nbsp;Baker-Eubanks CEO Kim Cockerham&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2025/09/28/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-background-check-ian-roberts/86375977007/" target="_blank">to the Des Moines Register</a>. Cockerham said the criminal background check performed does not confirm a person’s ability to legally work in the U.S., saying “that’s not even a service that we offer.” Cockerham said, according to the Register.</p><p>Laura Zorc, chair of the National School Board Coalition, said Roberts’ hiring process “reveals a critical oversight” in schools boards hiring search firms to fill school administration positions.</p><p>“If advising the Des Moines school board, NSBC would recommend working with their board attorney to review their contract agreement with consultants JQ Consultants and Baker-Eubanks for potential recourse, including seeking a full refund, legal, staff time, and covering the costs of rehiring a new superintendent if the contract was breached,” Zorc said in the release.</p><p>Board President Jackie Norris said Monday that the board asked Roberts’ attorney to provide documentation and verification of his citizenship status by 12 p.m. Tuesday, with plans to meet at 7:30 p.m. that day to discuss ending Roberts’ employment contract. Parrish said the letter of resignation was being sent to school officials Tuesday.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn said late Monday the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed with the U.S. Department of Justice through a Freedom of Information Act and formal inquiry that Roberts was subject to a final removal order under the Immigration and Nationality Act. He also said in a statement it was “unacceptable that someone under a final order of deportation and without legal work authorization was allowed to lead Iowa’s largest public school system.”</p><p>“Every parent should be able to trust that school leaders are fully vetted, legally employed, and held to the highest standards of accountability,” Nunn said. “I want to thank our federal agencies for their timely response and commitment to transparency as we work to protect our communities.”</p>

Des Moines Public Schools superintendent resigns, lawyer says

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759249113526.png" alt="Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, President Trump, RFK, Jr. and Dr. Oz enjoy a laugh in the Oval Office during the announcement -image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, President Trump, RFK, Jr. and Dr. Oz enjoy a laugh in the Oval Office during the announcement -image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;For many years, Americans have paid the highest prices anywhere in the world for prescription drugs... a major reason is that American consumers have been subsidizing Research and Development costs for the entire planet... it&#39;s being changed as of today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/T22cIT16Ws">pic.twitter.com/T22cIT16Ws</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973054472046727434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces that <a href="https://twitter.com/pfizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pfizer</a> will provide some of their most popular medications to all Americans at heavily discounted prices of between 50%-100% off — and all new medications introduced to the U.S. market will be sold at the reduced Most Favored Nation cost 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/YC0f8hzdAQ">pic.twitter.com/YC0f8hzdAQ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973055859233034542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/pfizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pfizer</a> CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBourla?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlbertBourla</a>: The big winner of this deal clearly will be the American patient — there&#39;s no doubt about it. They are the ones that will see significant impact in their ability to buy medicines... We are ready to UNLEASH our investment portfolio in this country. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf">https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf</a> <a href="https://t.co/G9V32nxZOD">pic.twitter.com/G9V32nxZOD</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973062219211354327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT. <a href="https://t.co/lWu3MGc9fh">https://t.co/lWu3MGc9fh</a> <a href="https://t.co/X0C3sitmDN">pic.twitter.com/X0C3sitmDN</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973072382324625602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: *Sneezes in the Oval Office*<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;God bless you Bobby. I hope I didn&#39;t catch COVID just there.&quot;<br><br>&quot;Give me a Paxlovid immediately,&quot; he says to the CEO of Pfizer. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/IbsJy9x3Gr">pic.twitter.com/IbsJy9x3Gr</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973065585773674946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrMakaryFDA</a>: &quot;Today marks the the beginning of the end of the great American rip off, and it also marks the beginning of the end of a great American tragedy; something I’ve seen as a physician at the bedside — patients getting spun up into a financial rage... to try to get… <a href="https://t.co/SD0iKsZR2B">pic.twitter.com/SD0iKsZR2B</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973063636395373048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT: President Trump Delivers LOWER DRUG PRICES for Americans <a href="https://t.co/nA4tPrmcXt">pic.twitter.com/nA4tPrmcXt</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973062430591692829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Pfizer is committing to offer all of their prescription medications to Medicaid and it will be at the Most Favored Nation prices. It&#39;s going to have a huge impact on bringing Medicaid prices down.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ftq4ElmZEY">pic.twitter.com/ftq4ElmZEY</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973056170777616593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: &quot;For the mother trying to help her child get better, for the grandmother at the pharmacy counter, and for millions of Americans who want to restore their health — today is about another promise made by <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and another promise KEPT by <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf">https://t.co/SDmcFItFKf</a> <a href="https://t.co/n3w6sQY44W">pic.twitter.com/n3w6sQY44W</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973057794178691448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;We’re going to finally deliver on the fair drug prices that President Trump has been speaking about for two terms. We’re going to celebrate this historic day—I predict... in the medical field, for generations to come.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ojlFZOC2pm">pic.twitter.com/ojlFZOC2pm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973059658400022829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Pfizer to lower prescription drug costs in a deal with Trump

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759245859063.jpeg" alt="Image from Department of War video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from Department of War video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth FULL REMARKS at the WAR DEPARTMENT ADDRESS: <a href="https://t.co/dbvmQg3FT6">pic.twitter.com/dbvmQg3FT6</a></p>&mdash; Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/1973041625447235876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;Simply put, if you do not meet the male level physical standards for a combat position, cannot pass a PT test or don&#39;t want to shave and look professional. It’s time for a new position.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IWJKshcUtd">pic.twitter.com/IWJKshcUtd</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1973012711115284940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ATTENTION: NEW GROOMING STANDARDS:<br><br>THE ERA OF UNPROFESSIONAL APPEARANCES IS OVER. <a href="https://t.co/WpLXngC8Bc">pic.twitter.com/WpLXngC8Bc</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1973013702321586176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@secwar</a> &quot;If the words I am speaking today are making your hearts sink, then you should do the honorable thing and RESIGN.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nEzFOkq978">pic.twitter.com/nEzFOkq978</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1973018750929776926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, we end the War on Warriors.</p>&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1972995564007743919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SECWAR</a> &quot;Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision, and ferocity of the War Department. <br><br>In other words, to our enemies, FAFO.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/I5lZlbmj34">pic.twitter.com/I5lZlbmj34</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1973002202399768668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;From Sparta, to Rome, to the British Empire, to the United States of America, history has shown that military supremacy has never been simply a matter of money or manpower. At the end of the day, it is the culture and SPIRIT of our military that truly sets us apart from… <a href="https://t.co/ojRLuSEK3P">pic.twitter.com/ojRLuSEK3P</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973034843563843939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleveland... and others all used the Armed Forces to keep domestic order and peace... So today, I want to thank every servicemember who has bravely helped us secure the nation’s capital and make America safe for the people. <a href="https://t.co/pWfunrQWWZ">pic.twitter.com/pWfunrQWWZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973030155535950000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Together with the leaders here today, we&#39;re also restoring a needed focus on defeating threats in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout this region, cartel terrorists have been allowed to wage a relentless campaign of death and destruction on our country... Under our… <a href="https://t.co/4CqOCinKjt">pic.twitter.com/4CqOCinKjt</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973030884686107073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump, Hegseth declare end to 'politically correct' leadership in US military

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759179453157.jpeg" alt="Vice President JD Vance and other GOP leaders spoke to reporters after the unsuccessful meeting on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Vice President JD Vance and other GOP leaders spoke to reporters after the unsuccessful meeting on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just left the White House meeting with Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.<br><br>This fight is about the healthcare of the American people. <a href="https://t.co/q0HALCVKhq">pic.twitter.com/q0HALCVKhq</a></p>&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1972773826875556098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SCHUMER: &quot;We have very large differences on health care...&quot;<br><br>Yes, Democrats want taxpayers to fund free health care for illegals and Republicans do not. <a href="https://t.co/ZkA9HaJEBX">pic.twitter.com/ZkA9HaJEBX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972763437567816170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: Democrats want a $1.5 TRILLION spending package that funded free health care for illegals. We told them that was absurd — and now they&#39;re willing to shut down the government over it. It&#39;s unacceptable. <a href="https://t.co/B8aUN9cp4i">pic.twitter.com/B8aUN9cp4i</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972765852484391095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: &quot;During the Biden Administration, there were 13 threatened shutdowns. The Republicans, in the minority, did the right thing — we kept the government open. We&#39;re simply asking for the Democrats to do the same.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/PqPKlOGjN4">pic.twitter.com/PqPKlOGjN4</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972766650626920751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a> on the Democrats pulling America towards a government shutdown over their partisan demands: &quot;This is a hijacking of the American people — and it&#39;s the American people that are going to pay the price.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GvHzHgEKMk">pic.twitter.com/GvHzHgEKMk</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972767146515337390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/WHOMB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHOMB</a> Director <a href="https://twitter.com/russvought?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russvought</a>: This can all be avoided if Democrats accept the reasonable position, which the House has already passed — a short term Continuing Resolution. Democrats&#39; $1.5 TRILLION demand is hostage taking and it&#39;s unacceptable. <a href="https://t.co/MjRuTLayhj">pic.twitter.com/MjRuTLayhj</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972767237678526903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Vice President: “I think we’re headed into a government shutdown 

President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:

1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.



2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.



3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.



4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.



5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.



6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.



7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.



8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.



9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.



10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.



11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.



12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.



13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.



14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.



15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.



16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.



17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.



18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.



19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.



20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759172560666.png" alt="President Trump and the Prime Minister of Israel during a White House&nbsp; press conference on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump and the Prime Minister of Israel during a White House&nbsp; press conference on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;To ensure the success of this effort, my plan calls for a new international oversight body — the Board of Peace... which will be headed, not at my request... by a gentleman known as President Donald J. Trump of the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/h0nFKR3JJA">pic.twitter.com/h0nFKR3JJA</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972734222315184529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:

1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759172020282.png" alt="White House image" />
                        <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.</p><p>

3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
</p><p>
4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
</p><p>
5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
</p><p>
6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
</p><p>
7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
</p><p>
8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.
</p><p>
9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.
</p><p>
10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
</p><p>
11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
</p><p>
12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
</p><p>
13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
</p><p>
14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
</p><p>
15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
</p><p>
16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
</p><p>
17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
</p><p>
18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
</p><p>
19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
</p><p>
20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.</p>

Read President Trump’s 'Eternal Peace Plan' to end the Gaza conflict

Young Republicans vow to continue engaging with ideas as campus conservatives and liberals try to turn down the temperature

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Conservative and liberal students at Nebraska colleges say they want to turn down the temperature on the heated political dialogue dominating national conversations in the weeks since the killing of Charlie Kirk.

The call for a return to civil discourse among young Nebraskans comes against&nbsp;the backdrop of President Donald Trump pledging to use the federal government to investigate political foes on the “radical left.”&nbsp;

Ethnie Barnhouse, the president of University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Kirk’s political organization Turning Point USA, which was designed to engage college students, said she hopes more young conservatives will “be bold and be courageous” and speak openly with others about their views.&nbsp;

“They’re going to think you’re some evil person … I want people not to be afraid to have those conversations,” Barnhouse said at a UNL campus vigil honoring Kirk days after he was killed. “Because a lot of the time, when people think that about you, it’s just because they haven’t talked to you, and they don’t actually know what you believe.”&nbsp;

After the vigil — whose speakers included&nbsp;Nebraska volleyball middle blocker&nbsp;Rebekah Allick&nbsp;and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican –&nbsp;Barnhouse took questions from fellow students and&nbsp;community members&nbsp;who wanted to get more involved with Turning Point. Barnhouse said she was surprised by the turnout and level of interest.

Campus&nbsp;conservatives at some of the state’s largest schools in Lincoln and Omaha&nbsp;credited Kirk for encouraging them to be more open about their political views in what many described as environments&nbsp;hostile &nbsp;to conservatism. Several said they plan to make sharper efforts to organize young people while also calling for more civil dialogue with people across the political spectrum.&nbsp;

Young liberals also hope for more civil disagreement, rather than the rhetoric often seen on social media and among politicians.&nbsp;Troy Kallhoff, president of the UNL chapter of the Young Democrats, said he was deeply disturbed that people would try to “resolve political divide and political grievance” with violence.&nbsp;

“Regardless of how much I disagree with him or any other political activist or politician, I would never wish for them to be murdered or killed,” Kallhoff said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kirk was shot during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in&nbsp;Orem, Utah, in&nbsp;early September. The 22-year-old man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had sent text messages to his romantic partner that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/16/charges-filed-tyler-robinson-death-penalty-accused-of-killing-charlie-kirk/" target="_blank">Utah prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty</a>.

The Kirk shooting was the latest instance of political violence in the U.S. An arsonist burned the&nbsp;Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in April.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/israeli-embassy-staffers-shooting-capital-jewish-museum-00364688" target="_blank">Two Israeli Embassy</a>&nbsp;staffers were killed in Washington, D.C. in May. A Democratic Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/06/14/minnesota-house-democratic-leader-dead-after-targeted-shooting-democratic-senator-also-shot/" target="_blank">state lawmaker</a>&nbsp;and her husband were shot and killed in June. A Georgia man&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/06/16/georgia-man-indicted-for-threatening-nebraska-u-s-sen-deb-fischer-doj-says/">was indicted in June for allegedly making threats across state lines</a>&nbsp;against Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Nebraska U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.&nbsp;

Dona-Gene Barton, a UNL political science professor who studies political behavior, said political violence isn’t new in American history. But she said this political moment is different because of high levels of “affective polarization.”&nbsp;

“It’s a context where the rhetoric and the effect of polarization among political elites [and] average citizens is [already] at a dangerous [level] to begin with,” Barton said.&nbsp;

Kirk and Turning Point, which he founded in 2012, were credited with mobilizing younger voters to support Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Trump made gains with young people, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33331/unpacking-the-2024-youth-vote-heres-what-we-know-so-far" target="_blank">demographic Democrats previously dominated</a>,&nbsp;which helped him win the popular vote.&nbsp;

But Kirk also appealed to some in the Republican base with his statements&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2025/09/charlie-kirk-shot-utah/" target="_blank">directed at minorities</a>. He criticized LGBTQ rights, suggested more women should stay home and not work and criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work.&nbsp;

Among Turning Point’s best-known projects was the “<a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/searchbyschool" target="_blank">Professor Watchlist</a>,” which published the names of college professors in a searchable format by categories including “anti-Christian views,” “feminism,” “climate alarmist” and “racial ideology.”&nbsp;

Despite the controversies,&nbsp;many young conservatives, including UNL student Zoey Salem, credited Kirk for engaging students and encouraging them to speak freely.&nbsp;

“Even as a conservative, I didn’t agree with everything he said, but that wasn’t really the point of Charlie Kirk to me,” said Salem. “The point was that he was giving a platform to all people.”

Kallhoff, of the UNL Young Democrats, said he hopes that after Kirk’s assassination people can “come together and have civilized conversations” and understand that “we’re all trying to make the country better.”&nbsp;

Creighton University students Emma Smith and Hannah Sobczyk said people need to stop hiding behind social media and start having face-to-face conversations again. At the end of the day, Sobczyk said, people need to respect that people have different political beliefs.

“We’re all people,” Smith said.&nbsp;

Barton, the political scientist, said she hopes politicians will tone down the rhetoric used in response to Kirk’s death, because it “doesn’t do any good for trying to calm the tensions.”

“In the past, political elites, when you had incidents of political violence in this country, they would try to be more unifying,” Barton said. “Some … have responded by trying to weaponize this event.”

At UNL, Barnhouse said she is focused on honoring Kirk’s legacy.

“My life would look very different if it weren’t for Charlie Kirk,” Barnhouse said.&nbsp;

Kallhoff said the next generation is tired of the political divide and government stagnation

“The only option is for it to get better,” Kallhoff said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759156460808.png" alt="An attendee of a Charlie Kirk vigil at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on Sept 17. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>An attendee of a Charlie Kirk vigil at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on Sept 17. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Young Republicans vow to continue engaging with ideas as campus conservatives and liberals try to turn down the temperature</h2><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Conservative and liberal students at Nebraska colleges say they want to turn down the temperature on the heated political dialogue dominating national conversations in the weeks since the killing of Charlie Kirk.</p><p>But they’ve got their work cut out.</p><p>The call for a return to civil discourse among young Nebraskans comes against&nbsp;the backdrop of President Donald Trump pledging to use the federal government to investigate political foes on the “radical left.”&nbsp;</p><p>Ethnie Barnhouse, the president of University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Kirk’s political organization Turning Point USA, which was designed to engage college students, said she hopes more young conservatives will “be bold and be courageous” and speak openly with others about their views.&nbsp;</p><p>“They’re going to think you’re some evil person … I want people not to be afraid to have those conversations,” Barnhouse said at a UNL campus vigil honoring Kirk days after he was killed. “Because a lot of the time, when people think that about you, it’s just because they haven’t talked to you, and they don’t actually know what you believe.”&nbsp;</p><p>After the vigil — whose speakers included&nbsp;Nebraska volleyball middle blocker&nbsp;Rebekah Allick&nbsp;and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican –&nbsp;Barnhouse took questions from fellow students and&nbsp;community members&nbsp;who wanted to get more involved with Turning Point. Barnhouse said she was surprised by the turnout and level of interest.</p><p>Campus&nbsp;conservatives at some of the state’s largest schools in Lincoln and Omaha&nbsp;credited Kirk for encouraging them to be more open about their political views in what many described as environments&nbsp;hostile &nbsp;to conservatism. Several said they plan to make sharper efforts to organize young people while also calling for more civil dialogue with people across the political spectrum.&nbsp;</p><p>Young liberals also hope for more civil disagreement, rather than the rhetoric often seen on social media and among politicians.&nbsp;Troy Kallhoff, president of the UNL chapter of the Young Democrats, said he was deeply disturbed that people would try to “resolve political divide and political grievance” with violence.&nbsp;</p><p>“Regardless of how much I disagree with him or any other political activist or politician, I would never wish for them to be murdered or killed,” Kallhoff said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Kirk was shot during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in&nbsp;Orem, Utah, in&nbsp;early September. The 22-year-old man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had sent text messages to his romantic partner that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/16/charges-filed-tyler-robinson-death-penalty-accused-of-killing-charlie-kirk/" target="_blank">Utah prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty</a>.</p><p>The Kirk shooting was the latest instance of political violence in the U.S. An arsonist burned the&nbsp;Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in April.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/israeli-embassy-staffers-shooting-capital-jewish-museum-00364688" target="_blank">Two Israeli Embassy</a>&nbsp;staffers were killed in Washington, D.C. in May. A Democratic Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/06/14/minnesota-house-democratic-leader-dead-after-targeted-shooting-democratic-senator-also-shot/" target="_blank">state lawmaker</a>&nbsp;and her husband were shot and killed in June. A Georgia man&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/06/16/georgia-man-indicted-for-threatening-nebraska-u-s-sen-deb-fischer-doj-says/">was indicted in June for allegedly making threats across state lines</a>&nbsp;against Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Nebraska U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.&nbsp;</p><p>Dona-Gene Barton, a UNL political science professor who studies political behavior, said political violence isn’t new in American history. But she said this political moment is different because of high levels of “affective polarization.”&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a context where the rhetoric and the effect of polarization among political elites [and] average citizens is [already] at a dangerous [level] to begin with,” Barton said.&nbsp;</p><p>Kirk and Turning Point, which he founded in 2012, were credited with mobilizing younger voters to support Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Trump made gains with young people, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33331/unpacking-the-2024-youth-vote-heres-what-we-know-so-far" target="_blank">demographic Democrats previously dominated</a>,&nbsp;which helped him win the popular vote.&nbsp;</p><p>But Kirk also appealed to some in the Republican base with his statements&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2025/09/charlie-kirk-shot-utah/" target="_blank">directed at minorities</a>. He criticized LGBTQ rights, suggested more women should stay home and not work and criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work.&nbsp;</p><p>Among Turning Point’s best-known projects was the “<a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/searchbyschool" target="_blank">Professor Watchlist</a>,” which published the names of college professors in a searchable format by categories including “anti-Christian views,” “feminism,” “climate alarmist” and “racial ideology.”&nbsp;</p><p>Despite the controversies,&nbsp;many young conservatives, including UNL student Zoey Salem, credited Kirk for engaging students and encouraging them to speak freely.&nbsp;</p><p>“Even as a conservative, I didn’t agree with everything he said, but that wasn’t really the point of Charlie Kirk to me,” said Salem. “The point was that he was giving a platform to all people.”</p><p>Kallhoff, of the UNL Young Democrats, said he hopes that after Kirk’s assassination people can “come together and have civilized conversations” and understand that “we’re all trying to make the country better.”&nbsp;</p><p>Creighton University students Emma Smith and Hannah Sobczyk said people need to stop hiding behind social media and start having face-to-face conversations again. At the end of the day, Sobczyk said, people need to respect that people have different political beliefs.</p><p>“We’re all people,” Smith said.&nbsp;</p><p>Barton, the political scientist, said she hopes politicians will tone down the rhetoric used in response to Kirk’s death, because it “doesn’t do any good for trying to calm the tensions.”</p><p>“In the past, political elites, when you had incidents of political violence in this country, they would try to be more unifying,” Barton said. “Some … have responded by trying to weaponize this event.”</p><p>At UNL, Barnhouse said she is focused on honoring Kirk’s legacy.</p><p>“My life would look very different if it weren’t for Charlie Kirk,” Barnhouse said.&nbsp;</p><p>Kallhoff said the next generation is tired of the political divide and government stagnation</p><p>“The only option is for it to get better,” Kallhoff said.</p>

Nebraska’s college students learning to talk again after Kirk’s death

WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.

The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.

The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759092364076.png" alt="FDA image" />
                        <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.</p><p>The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].</p><p>The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.</p><p>The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.</p><p>FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.</p><p>FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.</p><p>Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.</p><p>Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.</p>

58M pounds of corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick products recalled

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a><br><a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.

The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.

Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.

Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.

“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”

Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.

There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.

“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;

Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.

“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.

Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”

South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”

“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”

South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759066705724.png" alt="Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
                        <figcaption>Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a><br><a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a></p><p>U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Under my direction, the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will keep their medals. <br><br>This decision is final. Their place in history is settled. <a href="https://t.co/klQlB6MZ6l">pic.twitter.com/klQlB6MZ6l</a></p>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.</p><p>Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.</p><p>Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.</p><p>“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”</p><p>Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.</p><p>There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.</p><p>“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.</p><p>Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;</p><p>Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.</p><p>“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.</p><p>Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.</p><p>U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”</p><p>South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”</p><p>“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”</p><p>South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.</p><p>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.</p>

🎥Medals awarded for Wounded Knee Massacre won’t be rescinded

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — Congress’ failure to pass a short-term government funding bill before midnight Tuesday will lead to the first shutdown in nearly seven years and give President Donald Trump broad authority to determine what federal operations keep running — which will have a huge impact on the government, its employees, states and Americans.&nbsp;

A funding lapse this year would have a considerably wider effect than the 35-day one that took place during Trump’s first term and could last longer, given heightened political tensions.&nbsp;

The last shutdown didn’t affect the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs, since Congress had approved those agencies’ full-year funding bills.

Lawmakers had also enacted the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, exempting Capitol Hill from any repercussions.&nbsp;

That isn’t the case this time around since none of the dozen government spending bills have become law. That means nearly every corner of the federal government will feel the pain in some way&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">if a compromise isn’t reached</a>&nbsp;by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;

States Newsroom’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/category/dc-bureau" target="_blank">Washington, D.C. Bureau</a>&nbsp;offers you a quick guide to what could happen if Republicans and Democrats don’t broker an agreement in time.

How does the White House budget office determine what government operations are essential during a shutdown?

Generally, federal programs that include the preservation of life or property as well as those addressing national security continue during a shutdown, while all other activities are supposed to cease until a funding bill becomes law.&nbsp;

But the president holds expansive power to determine what activities within the executive branch are essential and which aren’t, making the effects of a shutdown hard to pinpoint unless the Trump administration shares that information publicly.&nbsp;

Presidential administrations have&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">traditionally posted</a>&nbsp;contingency plans on the White House budget office’s website, detailing how each agency would shut down — explaining which employees are exempt and need to keep working, and which are furloughed.&nbsp;

That appears to have changed this year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/guidance/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">web page</a>&nbsp;that would normally host dozens of contingency plans remained blank until late September, when the White House budget office posted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/a11.pdf" target="_blank">940-page document</a>&nbsp;released in August calls for the plans to be “hosted solely on each agency’s website.”

Only a few departments had plans from this year posted on their websites as of Friday afternoon.

The White House budget office expects agencies to develop Reduction in Force plans as part of their shutdown preparation, signaling a prolonged funding lapse will include mass firings and layoffs.

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">two-page memo</a>&nbsp;doesn’t detail which agencies would be most affected, it says layoffs will apply to programs, projects, or activities that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

Trump will be paid during a shutdown since&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/" target="_blank">Article II, Section 1, Clause 7</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prevents the president’s salary from being increased or decreased during the current term.

No one else in the executive branch — including Cabinet secretaries, more than 2 million civilian employees and over 1 million active duty military personnel — will receive their paycheck until after the shutdown ends.&nbsp;

Are federal courts exempt from a shutdown since they’re a separate branch of government?

The Supreme Court will continue to conduct normal operations in the event of a shutdown, according to its Public Information Office.&nbsp;

The office said the court “will rely on permanent funds not subject to annual approval, as it has in the past, to maintain operations through the duration of short-term lapses of annual appropriations,” in a statement shared with States Newsroom.&nbsp;

As for any impact on lower federal courts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said the federal judiciary was still assessing the fiscal 2026 outlook and had no comment.&nbsp;

The office serves as the central support arm of the federal judiciary.&nbsp;

During the last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2018/12/22/judiciary-operating-during-shutdown" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;from late 2018 into early 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2019/01/07/judiciary-operating-limited-funds-during-shutdown" target="_blank">federal courts</a>&nbsp;remained open using court fee balances and “no-year” funds, which are available for an indefinite period.&nbsp;

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has said that if those funds run out, they would operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which “allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers.”&nbsp;

Supreme Court justices and appointed federal judges continue to get paid during a government shutdown, as&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/" target="_blank">Article III</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution says the judges’ compensation “shall not be diminished” during their term.

What happens to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

The three programs exist largely outside of the annual appropriations process, since lawmakers categorized them as “mandatory spending.”&nbsp;

This means Social Security checks as well as reimbursements to health care providers for Medicare and Medicaid services should continue as normal.

One possible hitch is the salaries for people who run those programs are covered by annual appropriations bills, so there could be some staffing problems for the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, depending on their contingency plans.&nbsp;