House Committee Calendars Empty Amidst Prolonged 17-Day Government Shutdown

Washington D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives' committee calendars for October 2025 appear "completely empty," as noted by CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane, amidst a government shutdown that has now stretched to its 17th day. The lack of scheduled legislative activity underscores the ongoing impasse in Washington, leaving federal agencies in disarray and critical services impacted.

MacFarlane highlighted the striking absence of committee work, stating in a tweet, "> This is a striking sight. The US House committee calendars for the month of October. Completely empty." This observation comes as the House has been in an extended recess, with votes canceled for several weeks leading into and throughout October.

The current legislative inactivity stems from a prolonged government shutdown, which began in late September. House Speaker Mike Johnson previously canceled votes from September 29 and 30, and further extended the recess by canceling votes for October 7-10 and October 14-17. This effectively put the House on break for over a month, following a recess from the end of July through Labor Day.

The shutdown has had significant consequences across federal operations. The Supreme Court is projected to exhaust its funding, leading to public closures, while the Army Corps of Engineers has paused $11 billion in projects. Additionally, the federal judiciary anticipates running out of funds for full operations, and the National Nuclear Security Administration faces potential furloughs for 80% of its employees, raising concerns about the nation's nuclear stockpile management.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has criticized the Republican-led House for its absence, stating that members "have been on vacation for three consecutive weeks." Democrats are reportedly holding firm on demands for health care tax credit extensions to reopen the government. The ongoing stalemate has also delayed the swearing-in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, a point of contention between House leadership and Arizona's Attorney General.