by Sharon Rondeau
(Nov. 9, 2025) — On today’s “Sunday Morning Futures” hosted by Maria Bartiromo, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin declared another major layoff to come on November 21 if the government does not full reopen via congressional appropriations.
Last month, Zeldin reported furloughs of 4,000 employees.
On October 31, Government Executive reported the new job terminations could affect as many as 650,000 employees.
“To maintain clarity between shutdown furloughs and more permanent and planned cost-saving measures, notices are required to go out every 30 days,” the website reported. “The current funding lapse entered its 31st day on Friday—and could next week surpass the record-setting, 35-day impasse from 2018-2019—which required a fresh, formal update from agencies letting around 650,000 employees know they should remain at home without working.”
While the EPA has been reorganizing “all year,” Zeldin told Bartiromo, and “carryover funding” has propelled it forward under President Trump’s plans to expand domestic energy production, “the longer this shutdown goes on, we’re going to have to furlough more employees…”
Democrats have resisted approving a continuing resolution (CR) unless Republicans agree to fund the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as “Obamacare”) for another year.
A former congressman and New York gubernatorial candidate, Zeldin urged congressional Democrats to work with Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who are attempting to find common ground so the prepared CR can be passed and agencies shuttered since October 1 reopened.
Johnson was Baritoromo’s next guest. When she asked about the Senate filibuster tradition wherein the majority can stall Senate business indefinitely, a policy Trump wishes the Senate to quickly abolish, Johnson opined that Democrats would do the same were they in the majority.
“They’ll obstruct every good piece of legislation the Republicans and President Trump want to pass,” he said. “It’s all about power for the Democrats.”
“You’ve already changed the rules on nominations…does John Thune, the (Senate) leader, not expect the Democrats to nuke it when they return to power?” Bartimoro asked, citing Thune’s stated opposition to doing away with the filibuster.
Johnson suggested to Thune the Senate hold a vote on it, he said. “It would be very interesting” to see how the Democrats vote at this juncture, he mused.
Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly “food stamps”) did not receive their allotments this month due to the shutdown and number approximately 42 million, according to public reporting.
“Do you think you have the support of the Republican Party?” Bartiromo asked.
“Probably not,” Johnson responded. “Look how many days we’ve been in shutdown now…and they are still holding firm, emboldened by Tuesday’s election,” referring to the elections of New York City mayor and Virginia and New Jersey governors which Democrats won handily.
Zohran Mamdani, 34, a proclaimed “Democratic Socialist” who plans to institute “free” bus travel and rent freezes to control the cost of living, will be the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
On October 15, Johnson proposed a “Shutdown Fairness Act” to pay federal workers while the congressional impasse continues but said Democrats have not come to the table. Certain items were added to the bill to meet Democrats’ “concerns,” he said, including pay for furloughed workers, without result.
Bartiromo asked Johnson about “Arctic Frost” which, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, whose appointment was later declared unconstitutional by a federal judge, subpoenaed phone and bank records of “over 400 Republican targets” which Johnson said included many individuals from Wisconsin. “This is a massive scandal,” he added, larger than Watergate.
Graham was Bartiromo’s next guest and told her affirmatively that based on Senate negotiations, “the government will reopen today.”