Inside the Deal to End the Shutdown

Summary

---

What A Day – "Inside the Deal to End the Shutdown"

Date: November 10, 2025
Host: Josie Duffy Rice (in for Jane Coaston)
Guest: Stephen Newcomb (Congressional Reporter, Axios)

---

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks the latest developments in what has become the longest government shutdown in American history. With a newly brokered bipartisan deal potentially bringing the standoff to an end, host Josie Duffy Rice interviews Axios congressional reporter Stephen Newcomb. They discuss the contents and politics of the shutdown-ending package, the fate of SNAP benefits amid a legal tug-of-war, political fallout for Democratic leadership, and the broader implications for healthcare and federal workers.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Shutdown Deal: What's in the Package?

[02:17 – 03:20]

• Stopgap Measure: Funds the government through the end of January 2026.
• Three Full-Year Spending Bills: Including Military Construction/VA funding ($153B), which is a major win for Democrats hoping to fully fund key agencies.
• Democratic Concessions & Wins:
  • Rehiring protections for 4,000+ federal employees laid off during the shutdown (details still being finalized).
  • Most of the severe Trump-proposed spending cuts are NOT included (e.g., Government Accountability Office funding remains intact).
  • Not Achieved: Democrats do NOT secure an immediate extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies but do get a promise for a Senate vote next month.

Notable Quote:

"It's sort of formed around a short term stopgap spending bill that would go through the end of this year... a big victory for Democrats who want to see some of the agencies fully funded."
— Stephen Newcomb [02:26]

---

2. How Did the Impasse Break?

[03:20 – 05:49]

• Recent Democratic electoral wins in Virginia and New Jersey emboldened Senate Democrats, reinforcing their stance.
• After it became clear their preferred clean ACA-extension bill would not move forward, moderate Democrats negotiated with Republicans.
• Procedures mean the Senate could still take several days to pass the measure unless progressives (like Bernie Sanders & Chris Murphy) give unanimous consent to speed the process.
• There is likely to be left-wing opposition to the deal’s concessions.

Notable Quote:

"There's nothing that the left can do to stop this bill from passing [if moderates are on board]."
— Stephen Newcomb [05:39]

---

3. The ACA Subsidy Dilemma

[05:49 – 08:15]

• The promised Senate vote in December on renewing ACA subsidies is not a guarantee of passage; 60 votes are needed, and House Speaker Mike Johnson opposes it.
• Republicans are considering alternatives, such as income caps on subsidies (championed by Senator Bill Cassidy), or questioning the ACA model outright.
• The left, led by Bernie Sanders, renews calls for "Medicare for All."

Notable Quote:

"The reality is that there's just no path forward for this extension, even if it were to pass the Senate against all odds in December."
— Stephen Newcomb [06:40]

---

4. SNAP Benefits in Crisis

[08:15 – 09:37 / 13:13 – 14:33]

• Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused a lower court order to fully fund federal SNAP (food stamp) benefits, putting millions in limbo.
• The Agriculture Department instructed states to "undo" previously distributed benefits.
• State leaders in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin openly defy federal orders or allocate state funds to keep SNAP running.
• Unlike furloughed workers, missed SNAP benefits are not retroactively paid.

Notable Quotes:

"Those SNAP payments, those aren't accrued... you don't get [back-payments] from the missed... You just don't have the money to buy food."
— Stephen Newcomb [08:49]

"And I have also authorized $62 million to go towards SNAP..."
— Gov. Wes Moore (Maryland), paraphrased [14:18]

"No."
— Gov. Tony Evers (Wisconsin), on returning federal food aid [14:33]

---

5. The Political Fallout and What to Watch Next

[09:37 – 10:38]

• Democratic Senate leadership, especially Chuck Schumer, may face sharp criticism from the left for a deal that does not lock in healthcare subsidies.
• The promised ACA vote is seen as insufficient by progressives.
• Political positioning over the shutdown may influence future elections and internal party dynamics.

Notable Quote:

"Look at the fallout for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer... He could face some pretty serious criticism from his left just in terms of the structure of the deal."
— Stephen Newcomb [09:50]

---

6. Trump’s “$2,000 Dividend” and Tariff Claims

[15:21 – 16:18]

• President Trump announces on social media a "dividend of at least $2,000 a person... from tariffs," but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant walks this back, pointing instead to potential tax deductions.
• Stephanopoulos, ABC: “Is that true?”
• Bessant’s evasive answers prompt host ridicule.

Notable Quotes:

"It could be the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president's agenda... no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security..."
— Scott Bessant [15:28]

"Just say no, we're not going to get that money, Scott. You know it, we know it. Just be honest."
— Josie Duffy Rice [15:45]

---

7. Other Headlines & Global News

[16:18 – 19:09]

• Ongoing Israel-Gaza truce issues: Return of remains & further violence.
• Jared Kushner returns to Israel to push for ceasefire negotiations.
• BBC leadership resigns over edited footage of Trump’s Jan. 6 speech; controversy centers on misleading cuts.

Notable Quotes:

"[The BBC] spliced together two clips that took place 54 minutes apart."
— Gordon Raynor (Telegraph), paraphrased [18:29]

---

8. Memorable, Lighthearted Moments

• Opening joke about Trump racing to his golf course:

  "If only golf courses were federal agencies, the shutdown would have lasted like 14 seconds, tops."
  — Josie Duffy Rice [00:23]

• Host’s commentary on evasive political answers injects dry humor throughout.

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:02 – 02:15: Introduction & context of the shutdown deal
• 02:17 – 09:37: Josie’s full interview with Stephen Newcomb
• 13:13 – 14:33: State pushback on SNAP and federal directives
• 15:21 – 16:18: Trump’s tariff/dividend claims and response
• 16:18 – 19:09: Global and media headlines (Israel/Gaza, BBC controversy)

---

Concluding Note

The episode provides concise yet thorough insight into the high-stakes negotiations poised to end the government shutdown, the political levers in play, and the practical impact on American lives—especially the most vulnerable. The hosts and guest maintain an accessible, informative, and occasionally wry tone, making this episode a valuable listen for anyone seeking to understand the current political impasse and its ramifications.

---

Transcript

[Josie Duffy Rice]

It's Monday, November 10th. I'm Josie Duffy Rice in for Jane Coston. And this is what a day. The show that wonders where Donald Trump was racing to in his limousine this weekend. If you guessed that he was headed to the Capitol to resolve the longest government shutdown in American history, you would be wrong. He was, in fact, racing to his golf course and West Palm Beach. You know, if only golf courses were federal agencies, the shutdown would have lasted like 14 seconds, tops. On today's show, the fight to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program continues and Trump promises, quote, a dividend of at least $2,000 a person from tariffs to most American citizens before his treasury secretary immediately tries to clean that up. But let's start with the longest government shutdown in American history, which might be coming to an end soon. As of our recording time on Sunday evening, senators from both parties reached a deal that could bring an end to the shutdown, which has lasted well over a month. The deal would include a new stopgap measure that would fund the government through January, plus three different spending measures. One of them, the 2026 Military Construction and Veterans affairs funding bill, would allocate $153 billion to fund the Department of Veter affairs and infrastructure programs at the Pentagon for a full year. In a win for Democrats, these three bills do not include most of the brutal spending cuts that Trump proposed in his budget a few months ago. No longer would the Government Accountability Office's funding be cut in half. Democrats are also negotiating the rehiring of more than 4,000 federal employees who were laid off during the shutdown. But Democrats are not getting the primary thing that they've wanted. For weeks, Democrats insisted that Republicans agree to extend the Affordable Care Act's insurance subsidies, but now that demand has been reduced. As of now, Republicans have only agreed to hold a vote on the issue next month, but have not guaranteed any support. I spoke with Stephen Newcomb, a congressional reporter for Axios, on Sunday afternoon as the details of an agreement were still being hammered out. Stephen, welcome to what a day.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Thanks for having me.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

So you reported on Sunday about a group of Senate Democrats who are willing to advance a package of bills to end the shutdown. How much do we know about what's in this package?

[Stephen Newcomb]

We know a decent amount about what is in the package. It's sort of formed around a short term stopgap spending bill that would go through the end of this year between either January 30th or January 31st, and also packaged with three full legislative funding bills, Milcon VA so that will fund a number of things across the government, which is a big handout or a big victory for Democrats who want to see some of the agencies fully funded through the end of the year. And then on top of that, to get the Democratic votes, the moderates that they've been able to extract, Republicans have given Democrats a promise of a vote in December on extending expiring Obamacare tax credits. On top of some language, we're not exactly sure what the language looks like yet, but some protections for rehiring federal workers who, who were fired under the shutdown.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Wow. What led to this thaw in negotiations? How did we get here after so many weeks of it feeling like a total impasse?

[Stephen Newcomb]

Yeah, it did feel like a total impasse. And I think if you go back to the beginning of the middle of last week and the end of last week, there was actually a decent amount of momentum moving toward a deal that kind of looked similarly to this. And then what happened was Democrats go out and sort of route Republicans elections across the country. They win the Virginia governor's race, they win the New Jersey's governor's race, they win state houses, they flip a lot of red seats. And there's a lot of Democrats up here on Capitol Hill in the Senate who read that as voters, sort of rewarding them for holding out and fighting the Trump administration on government funding and on healthcare. So we sort of got that little law there for a few days where folks were trying to understand what the effect of the election was, what the polls were going to say. Senate Democrats earlier this week brought forward their own proposal, which was a one year clean extension of these ACA tax credits that are expiring and attaching it to a government funding bill. And Republicans rejected that. So I think that once we got to that spot at the end of this week, there's a lot of moderate Democrats who were already kind of willing to enter into this type of agreement. And once we saw that there was no path forward for the Democratic solution to the shutdown, they were willing to negotiate with Republicans. But I would just say sort of timing wise in terms of getting the government open. We're talking right now, you know, Sunday afternoon, Senate Democrats are about to meet. The way that the Senate works procedurally is they need something called unanimous consent to sort of go through procedural hurdles. If they were to sort of run the procedure all the way through, this wouldn't get done until, you know, Thursday or Friday of next week. That's just sort of the way that the Senate works. And like they're going to come out of this meeting. And I can guarantee you there's going to be some progressives, Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, who are going to be upset with this deal. And something to watch is if they give what is called consent to sort of let this process move more quickly along to get the shutdown done quicker. Because if the moderates say that they're willing to vote for the bill, there's nothing that the left can do to stop this bill from passing.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

So you mentioned that as part of this deal, there's a promise vote on extending ACA subsidies, but it wouldn't be until December. So why is that compromise, like, not satisfying to some Democrats?

[Stephen Newcomb]

Well, the reason it's not satisfying to some Democrats is because it's not a guarantee that it will be passed. The way that the Senate works, you need 60 votes to be able to pass anything to break a filibuster. So they have a promised vote In December, a 60 vote threshold on extending these ACA tax credits. Is there enough Republican support in the Senate to get to 60 votes to, to pass that extension? Maybe. But the reality is even if it gets through the Senate, it has to get back through the House, where the thing just stands essentially no shot. House Speaker Mike Johnson has already said that this is not something he's willing to put on the floor. There's other ideas that are going around about how do you do that. But really the reality is that there's just no path forward for this extension, even if it were to pass the Senate against all odds in December.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

And Republicans are starting to talk more about alternatives to these subsidies. Can you tell a little bit about the proposal that Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy is suggesting?

[Stephen Newcomb]

Yeah, not just the Cassidy one, but to sort of give you like the spectrum of ideas here on healthcare that have been thrown around. Yeah, you have Cassidy and some Republicans who have talked about the idea of income caps on the ACA tax credits. You've seen the, the President say that the ACA structure is not a good one, that they don't want to continue to go down that path. So Republicans have sort of developed their counter proposal. The reality, you know, at this point is that the bill that's going to be voted on in December is the Democratic version of a one year extension of ACA tax credits. And that's the reason why I say it's just unlikely that it gets through the Senate in December. And even if it did, it would die in the House. And then you have folks on the left like Bernie Sanders who have said that. Okay, well, if we're worried about the influence of insurance companies, if we're worried about making the wealthier, richer through these types of programs, well, then they should all get behind Medicare for all, which is obviously sort of a really popular proposal on the left, something that's been led by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, others in the past. So this sort of debate has sparked a debate about healthcare across the entire political spectrum recently.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

So there's a Supreme Court element to this, too. Right. Because on Friday, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson paused a lower court order to fully fund SNAP benefits during the shutdown. Then over the weekend, the Department of Agriculture demanded that states undo any SNAP payments that have already gone out this month. So what's the latest on this back and forth? Do we have a sense of that?

[Stephen Newcomb]

Well, as of right now, the Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to sort of let that pause go on in terms of not paying the federal benefits. As it gets worked out and the lower court system, I think the most important piece or the most important point to make on SNAP benefits is this. When you talk about SNAP benefits, it's not like federal workers who have been furloughed or working without pay, especially working without pay, who get back pay when the government's back open and things are functioning the way it is. Those SNAP payments, those aren't accrued. You don't get them from the missed payments that you didn't get. You just don't have the money to buy food. So I think that that SNAP sort of issue is really a driving issue, especially with some of the moderates who are willing to make a deal in the Democratic Party right now because they understand that they're not gonna get those benefits back. And the quicker that they can open the government up, the quicker those benefits can get to folks who really need that type of support.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Okay, I just have one more question for you, Steven. So if and when the shutdown ends, hopefully when, what will you be watching for other than this potential vote on the ACA subsidies? What else should we be aware of?

[Stephen Newcomb]

Yeah, you've got to look at the fallout for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who faced a lot of criticism in March when he decided to vote to fund the government, found himself in a similar position, obviously did not do that in October or the end of September. That's why we've had a shutdown for a month and a week. But he could face some pretty serious criticism from his left just in terms of the structure of the deal. That seems to be coming together. Like you said there, our Democrats are going to be upset that this will not be enough, that a promised vote does not mean that it will become law. That does not mean that the president will sign it into law even if it passed Congress. So I would be looking for the political fallout in terms of the criticism of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Thank you so much, Steven, for joining us.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Yeah, thanks for having me.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

That was my conversation with Stephen Newcombe, Congressional Reporter for Axios. We will get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads.

[Narrator/Announcer]

What a day is Brought to you by Zebiotics Pre Alcohol between bowl games, cold beers by the bonfire and whiskey with the family after Thanksgiving dinner. This time of year is packed with festivities. Here's how I stay productive the next day. Zebiotics Pre Alcohol Probiotic drink is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Here's how it works. When you drink, alcohol gets converted into a toxic byproduct in the gut. It's a buildup of this byproduct, not dehydration, that's to blame for rough days after drinking. Pre alcohol produces an enzyme to break this by product down. Just remember to make pre alcohol your first drink of the night. Drink responsibly and you'll feel your best tomorrow. Every time I have pre alcohol before drinks, I notice a difference the next day. Even after a night out, I can confidently plan on working out the next day without worry. Make the most of every toast, tailgate and touchdown this holiday season. Just don't forget to bring pre alcohol along for the ride. Go to zebiotics.com wad to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use Code WAD at checkout, Zebiotics is backed with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're unsatisfied for any reason, they'll refund your money, no questions asked. Remember to head to zbiotics.com wad and use the code WAD at checkout for 15% off. Save over $200 when you book weekly stays with VRBO this winter. If you haven't seen your college besties since, well, college you need a week to catch up in a snowy cabin, take a week long vacation and save over $200. Book [e-mail] you know what a girl's.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Best friend is not diamonds. Her lawyers.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

From executive producer Ryan Murphy comes a fiery new legal drama.

[Narrator/Announcer]

It's our own boutique.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

You can't afford to miss. Make it rig showtime, ladies. Stand up straight and breeze into that room like a storm no one saw coming. Hulu Original Series All's Fair now streaming.

[Narrator/Announcer]

On Hulu and Hulu on Disney plus for bundle subscribers.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Terms apply. Here's what else we're following today. Head of Lines.

[Stephen Newcomb]

We've now received guidance saying the states are going to be.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Punished for fronting the money.

[Stephen Newcomb]

There is a chaos and it is an intentional chaos that we are seeing from this administration.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Maryland Democratic Governor Wes Moore spoke with Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on CBS on Sunday about how the federal government is failing to feed Americans during a shutdown. The Trump administration is demanding states, quote, unquote, undo the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that have already been paid out to recipients. The directive comes after a federal judge ordered the White House to fully fund SNAP benefits for the month of November. The administration immediately appealed and the Supreme Court issued a temporary pause on the program on Friday in order to give the appeals court time to weigh in. In light of that decision, the Department of Agriculture warned state SNAP directors over the weekend that it now considers payments under the prior orders unauthorized. It's just the latest swing in a back and forth legal battle over the food aid program used by 42 million American. But Governor Moore said he's taking matters into his own hands.

[Stephen Newcomb]

And I have also authorized $62 million to go towards SNAP to make sure that SNAP is not going to be interrupted for the people of Maryland for as long as we can, despite the fact that we are waiting for the president of the United States to finally do his job.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

And Moore isn't the only one pushing back. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said in a statement Sunday that recipients, quote, with funds on their cards should continue to spend it on food. And Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers didn't mince any words in response to the administration's demand that states return food assistance payments to the government. Evers said, quote, no. President Trump touted his tariff policies on Truth Social on Sunday, bragging about how rich the country is now and writing, quote, a dividend of at least $2,000 a person, not including high income people, will be paid to everyone. That sounds great, right? Well, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant immediately tried to reel in that promise when speaking with ABC's George Stephanopoulos the very same day.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Do you have a proposal, a formal.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Proposal to give a $2,000 dividend to every American.

[Stephen Newcomb]

I haven't spoken to the president about.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

This yet, but you know, it could. The $2,000 dividend could come in lots of forms in lots of ways, George. You know, it could be the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president's agenda. You know, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, deductibility of auto loans. So you know, those are substantial deductions that are being financed in the tax bill. I love this response. He sounds terrified. Just say no, we're not going to get that money, Scott. You know it, we know it. Just be honest. Trump made other claims in his post on Sunday that Stephanopoulos also pressed Besson on. The president is also posting about tariffs this morning.

[Stephen Newcomb]

He's saying people that are against tariffs are fools. We're taking in trillions of dollars. Is that true?

[Josie Duffy Rice]

We have take over the course of the next few years. We could take in trillions of dollars, George. But the real goal of the tariffs is to rebalance trade and make it more fair. We could take in trillions of dollars over the next few years. Again, just say no, Scott. Admit it. We have not taken in trillions. Just, you know, shoot straight, man. Trump's comments come as the Supreme Court weighs the legality of his tariffs on US Trading partners. A majority of the justices last week seemed skeptical about Trump's ability to unilaterally impose them. Israel on Sunday confirmed it had received the remains of Hadar Golden, a soldier killed in the Gaza Strip in 2014. The 23 year old was killed two hours after a ceasefire took effect in that year's war between Israel and Hamas. Goldin's family waged a public campaign for 11 years to bring home his remains. The return of Golden's remains were a result of the US Brokered truce which has faltered, to say the least. Israeli forces have killed over 200 people in Gaza since the ceasefire was reached. Israel has blamed Hamas for the slow return of the bodies of hostages. Gaza health officials say 300 Palestinian bodies have now been handed back with 89 of those identified. Jared Kushner, President Trump's son in law and a key architect of Washington's 20 point cease fire plan, has quietly returned to Israel to help push negotiations forward. A person familiar with the visit told the Associated Press. The BBC's director general and its top news executive both resigned following criticism over how the broadcaster edited a speech given by President Trump. Pressure on the broadcaster's top executives has been growing since the right leaning Telegraph newspaper published parts of a dossier last week compiled by a former employee hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines. The report criticized the outlet's editing of Trump's January 6, 2021, speech used in a BBC documentary last year. The BBC cut out a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully. Telegraph Associate editor Gordon Rainer detailed the dossier's findings in a video posted by the outlet.

[Stephen Newcomb]

In it, they played the following clip we're gonna walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell. But Trump didn't in fact say this at all. The BBC spliced together two clips that took place 54 minutes apart. So let's go through it again.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Raynor then plays the unedited excerpt of the speech.

[Stephen Newcomb]

We're going to walk down to the Capitol and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. It's different.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

BBC Director General Tim Davies said in his resignation letter on Sunday that quitting the job was entirely his decision. New CEO Deborah Turnus said in her own letter that the controversy about the Trump documentary, quote, has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC, an institution that I love as the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs. The buck stops with me. And that's the news. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, Leave a review, prepare yourself for Trump's DC arena and tell your friends to listen. And if you are into reading and not just about how the White House said Saturday it would be, quote, beautiful to name the new stadium for the Washington Commanders after President Donald Trump. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter, so check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Josie Duffy Rice and Trump actually attended the Washington Commanders game on Sunday, and if the crowd's reaction to him on the Jumbotron is any indication of their enthusiasm for a name change, well.

[Narrator/Announcer]

What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We have production help today from Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Megan Larson, Gina Pollack and Jonah Eatman. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Did my card go through.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

Oh no.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Your small business depends on its Internet, so switch to Verizon Business and you could get LTE Business Internet starting at $39 a month when paired with select business mobile plans. That's unlimited data for Unlimited business.

[Josie Duffy Rice]

There we go.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Get the Internet you need at the price you want. Verizon Business Starting price for lte Business Internet 25 Mbps Unlimited Data Plan with select Verizon Business Smartphone plan. Savings terms apply.

[Narrator/Announcer]

With stays under $250 a night, VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. Book a cabin with leaf views or a home with a fire pit for nights with friends. With stays under $250 a night, find a home for your exact needs. Book [e-mail].