The twin crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington are coming to a head. The federal food assistance program is facing delays and uncertainty. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are set to see a dramatic rise in health insurance bills. The Trump administration’s plans to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have been halted by federal judges. But a delay in payouts will still likely leave millions of people short on their grocery bills. The shutdown is the second longest in history and entered its second month on Saturday, yet there's little urgency in Washington to end it.

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut its short-term rate Wednesday for the second time this year despite an increasingly cloudy view of the economy it is trying to influence. The data drought raises risks for the Fed because it is widely expected to keep cutting rates in an effort to shore up growth and hiring. Yet should job gains pick up soon, the Fed may not detect the change. And if hiring rebounds after weak job gains during the summer, further rate cuts may not be justified.

Vice President JD Vance says that he believes U.S. military members will be paid at the end of the week as the Trump administration reconfigures funding in the second-longest government shutdown. The pressure to end the shutdown is taking on new urgency. Rep. Lisa McClain, chair of the House Republican Conference, says "this week, more than any other week, the consequences become impossible to ignore.” Millions of Americans face the prospect of losing food assistance. More federal workers will miss their first full paycheck.

President Donald Trump is making plans for a significant aid package for U.S. soybean farmers. The move aims to help them survive China's boycott of American beans, which was sparked by Trump's trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says substantial support for farmers is expected to be announced Tuesday. The aid comes amid a tariff war between the U.S. and China, where China has stopped buying U.S. soybeans. Trump plans to discuss soybeans with Chinese President Xi Jinping in four weeks. Farmers are struggling as China orders soybeans from Brazil and Argentina. They prefer trade over aid, hoping for a deal soon.