The federal government remains closed amid a bitter impasse on Capitol Hill over competing congressional spending bills.
President Donald Trump and Republicans have cast blame for the shutdown on Democrats' health care demands, while Democrats insist Republicans need to negotiate.
The Trump administration has threatened mass layoffs of some federal workers during the shutdown.
'A lot of good things can come from shutdowns': Trump
President Donald Trump was asked about laying off federal workers if a government shutdown happens.
The president again blamed Democrats but admitted that "a lot of good things can come from shutdowns."
"We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want," he said.
Sep 30, 2025, 4:27 PM EDT
Trump signs executive order to use AI in pediatric cancer research
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that will "massively accelerate pediatric cancer research and harness the extraordinary potential of artificial intelligence to fight this terrible disease."
He said that $50 million that is invested into pediatric cancer research will be doubled for the "childhood cancer data initiative."
Trump said with this order, he is "directing the federal government to fully utilize artificial intelligence to supercharge pediatric cancer research."
A portrait of former US President Ronald Reagan hangs behind President Donald Trump as Trump makes an announcement on prescription drugs in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 30, 2025
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Sep 30, 2025, 4:07 PM EDT
House Democrats continue public pressure on GOP hours from shutdown
House Democrats are continuing a public effort to pressure Republicans to address their health care demands just hours from the government shutdown deadline.
The caucus is hosting a "Stop the Shutdown" livestream on YouTube as Democrats push back on Republicans who they blame will take ownership of the shutdown.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic House members hold a press conference on the House Steps a day before a partial government shutdown is set to take effect on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 30, 2025.
Annabelle Gordon/Reuters
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the livestream will occur for the next 24 hours to speak "directly with the American people about what's at stake -- why we are fighting hard to make sure that we both find a path forward to fund the government."
Earlier on Tuesday, dozens of Democrats filled the House floor during a brief pro-forma session -- attempting to offer an alternative measure to fund the government. Rep. Rosa DeLauro tried to make a motion to have the House take up the Democrats' continuing resolution to fund the government.
However, Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith, who was acting as speaker pro tempore, immediately adjourned the floor, ignoring Democrats.
"Shame on you!" some Democrats yelled.
The large attendance of Democrats during the pro-forma session was unusual. Some Democrats had posters with Speaker Mike Johnson's face on them that said, "Missing Person."
As we near a government shutdown, the House is out of session and is not planning to return until Oct. 7.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Sep 30, 2025, 4:06 PM EDT
Thune says it's 'on the Senate Democrats' if the government shuts down
At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, held less than 10 hours before government funding is set to run out, Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats have a "very clear, binary choice."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks during a press conference, following Senate Republican weekly policy lunch, hours before a partial government shutdown is set to take effect, on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 30, 2025.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
"They can choose to keep the government open by voting for a short-term, clean continuing resolution -- 24 pages long -- or they can vote to shut the government down," Thune said. "That's what we're looking at."
Thune is expected to lead the Senate in a vote on Tuesday afternoon on a House-passed seven-week stopgap funding bill, which would require 60 votes to advance. Democrats, who have said they want concessions addressing health care issues, are expected to block that bill from advancing.
Thune, in his remarks, touted that Democrats voted for multiple short-term funding measures under former President Joe Biden.
"It begs the question as to what's changed. And I think what's changed is President Trump is in the White House. This is politics and there isn't any substantive reason why there ought to be a government shutdown," Thune said.
"This is totally avoidable. It is a decision they are going to have to make and if the government shuts down it is on the Senate Democrats," Thune added.