NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-01-2025 1PM EDT

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. The government is shut down, and it's hard to say how long it'll last. The Senate gave voting another try today, but both measures failed again. Senate lawmakers couldn't get stopgap funding bills through yesterday either. House Speaker Mike Johnson talked about the division on CNN today. The reason we put a simple seven-week extension of government funding is to allow for all that debate. The month of October is going to be very important for us to determine all. these things and to have a bipartisan discussion and deliberation over that. But we have to have the lights on in the building to do it. Here's Democratic leader Chuck Schumer speaking on the Senate floor today before votes. Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us into a shutdown because they refuse to protect Americans' health care. Many functions of the federal government have come to a halt. NPR Scott Horsley reports that includes keeping tabs on the U.S. economy. Historically, government shutdowns have caused limited fallout for the broader economy.

Forecasters at Deutsche Bank estimate that if the shutdown drags on, it could shave about two-tenths of a percent off GDP for each week the government remains shuttered. One casualty of the shutdown is the September jobs report, which was supposed to be released on Friday. That report, and possibly others, will be delayed until the government reopens. That leaves business people and policymakers guessing as to whether the summer slowdown in job growth continued into the fall. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. The Supreme Court says Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook can keep her job for now. The court will hear arguments in the case in January. President Trump accuses Cook of mortgage fraud and wants her fired.

She denies doing anything illegal and isn't charged with a crime. Cook also maintains the president lacks the power to fire her. President Trump announced a 20-point plan to end Israel's war in Gaza and free hostages held by Hamas. The plan also states Israel will not occupy Gaza and that Palestinians will not. be forcibly displaced outside of the territory. But it doesn't lay out a clear role for Palestinian governance. NPR's Anas Baba reports from Gaza. There were no celebrations here after Trump announced his plan for ending Israel's

war that's killed tens of thousands Palestinians. Abu Adham Arafati is among many Palestinians recently displaced from Gaza City due to Israeli bombardment. He says Trump's proposal only makes demands of the Palestinians and serves Israel. interests. Other NPR spoke to in Gaza, echoed that sentiment. Arafati say no external powers should rule over the Palestinians, but that Hamas should have no ruling governance after its deadly attack on Israel two years ago. Hamas has yet to agree to the plan. Regional powers including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others say they stand ready to work toward finalizing the agreement.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Trump administration is launching a website for prescription drugs called Trump RX. NPR Sidney Lupkin reports the site would facilitate sales directly to consumers at a discount. President Trump announced a deal with Pfizer to sell its drugs directly to consumers. The medicines will be available through a website operated by the federal government called Trump RX. The United States is done subsidizing the health care of the rest of the world. It's a big thing. I can't tell you how big this is.

The announcement came as part of the president's push to get lower drug prices for Americans. He aims to bring them in line with what other developed countries pay. The deal also includes discounts for Medicaid and a pledge from Pfizer to sell new drugs at the same price in the U.S. and other developed countries. Trump says similar deals with other drug makers are in the works. Sidney Lubkin, NPR News. In New York, billions in funding is now frozen for the construction of a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River to connect New York City and New York. New Jersey. The Trump administration is also putting on hold money for a big subway project in the city. White House budget director Russell Vote posted on X. The funding is frozen to make sure

it's not based on, quote, unconstitutional DEI principles. The winner of Fat Bear Week is in. He's appropriately named Chunk, weighing in at 1,200 pounds. Chunk has a broken jaw, but did figure out how to still eat a lot of salmon and fatten up for hibernation in Alaska. The competition teaches the public about how brown bears get ready to hibernate in the winter. I'm Kristen Wright, and this is NPR News from Washington.