NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-11-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Last night, the Senate voted on a measure that would bring the government shutdown to an end. On this vote, the eyes are 60, the nays are 40. The bill as amended is passed. The measure now heads for the House. NPR Sam Gringlas explains what's inside this government spending measure. The Senate passed a stopgap funding bill lasting through January 30th, after a more than month-long impasse that resulted in missed paychecks for federal workers,

delayed food assistance and air travel disruptions. The package includes a trio of regular appropriations bills funding some parts of the government through next September, as well as language to reverse the shutdown firings of federal employees and ensure that federal workers get back pay. But the deal does not include an extension of expiring subsidies for health insurance premiums. Democrats have been promised a Senate vote on legislation

to address the health care subsidies, but that does not guarantee it'll pass or get a vote in the House. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington. The government shutdown has interrupted federal food assistance for more than 40 million Americans. A federal judge has ordered President Trump to spend contingency money so people can access money for the food. Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block that order and opposes sending the contingency money for food. People getting the aid are facing confusion. From member station KOSU, Anna Pope visited a food pantry in Oklahoma.

Emparo Espinoza has been going to the Middel Food Pantry in Midwest City for about six years. Espinoza likes coming here. The people are nice. But a month ago, she says there wasn't a weight. You could see the need to get food because of what happened with the government. And I think that's very sad that we are suffering the consequences of the people that should take care of us. Last month, many here were getting food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, including Espinoza. This month, Espinoza has not yet received her $21 through SNAP. She says the program helps her afford certain things. But for others, she knows it is a lifeline. For NPR News, I'm Anna Pope in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

President Trump is again suggesting that money collected by the U.S. from tariffs on imported goods could be given to some Americans. And one of the things we're going to do, we're going to issue a dividend to our middle-income people and lower-income people of about 2,000. and we're going to use the remaining tariffs to lower our debt. But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said over the weekend that the dividend could take several other forms rather than direct payments. Besson suggested that could come from no taxes imposed on income from tips, overtime,

or other areas. The U.S. Supreme Court is deciding how much power the president has to impose tariffs. President Trump has been writing online criticizing opposition to his actions on tariffs. This is NPR. A frigid mass of cold air continues to blanket the eastern two-thirds of the country. A winter storm is pulling away from the Great Lakes region. Officials in the Chicago area delayed flights because of the storm. That's on top of reduced air traffic in the U.S. due to the government shutdown.

A federal appeals court panel has ruled in favor of striking news employees at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The ruling upholds a decision that the newspapers, owners engaged in bad faith bargaining during contract negotiations. The workers have been on strike for three years. Kyle Ferreira reports. The ruling comes amid the longest ongoing strike in the country. Last year, the National Labor Relations Board found that the Post-Gazette's owner, the Block Company, had bargained in bad faith and ordered it to undo cuts to health care benefits and other changes to employment terms. The appeals panel agreed and upheld the board's order, but the case is far from over. Orsati is a labor lawyer with Quatrini Law Group, which is not involved in the case.

If they weren't stringing out, that's exactly what could happen. I've had NLRB cases that lasted five and secured, because employers were determined to drive them out. The Post-Kazette's owner can still appeal. That process alone could take another year. For NPR News, I'm Kyle Ferreira in Pittsburgh. This is Veterans Day. It's also the anniversary of the end of fighting in World War I with the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany. It was supposed to take effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.