Government Shutdown Update: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

The shutdown has now lasted 22 days, officially making it the second-longest in United States history.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had placed the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012) on the Senate’s calendar to be voted on today, but it was delayed due to Senator Jeff Merkley’s (D-OR) filibuster, which began Tuesday and stretched into today.

The Senate once again voted on the continuing resolution (CR), which failed by a vote of 54-46, with no members deviating from their previous vote.

In the latest effort to offer a shutdown reprieve to select groups, the Administration is expected to release more than $3 billion currently frozen funds in an effort to aid U.S. farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume Farm Service Agency core operations on October 23, allowing farmers to receive aid.

Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have reportedly invited all senators to a bipartisan lunch on October 23. A congressional staffer has said the lunch was planned prior to the shutdown; regardless, it could provide an important forum for cross-aisle conversations. At this time, it remains unclear how many senators from both sides will attend.

GAPP Predictions on Pathways for a New Continuing Resolution

Lawmakers are thoroughly considering the possibility that this shutdown could surpass the longest in history, which stretched 35 days. There has been no indication of progress this week on negotiations to reopen the government, with some government officials speculating that the shutdown could last into late November.

The firm’s Government Affairs and Public Policy team expects that Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) may introduce a new CR next week, backstopping the date until Christmas. In this scenario, the House would be required to return and, in doing so, would likely need to address issues regarding the Epstein files.

If the shutdown lasts until December, a new CR will have to be negotiated, likely along with an Affordable Care Act deal. There are various talks on a new CR, with multiple options in play.

Past updates can be found on the DLA Piper website here.

If you have any questions or would like to coordinate an individual conversation about the shutdown’s effects or about the Government Affairs & Public Policy practice, please contact practice chair Karina Lynch at karina.lynch@us.dlapiper.com.