The Small Business Administration paid out more than $45 billion in loans to 85,000 small businesses in fiscal 2025.
* The government shutdown is putting loans from the Small Business Administration on hold. SBA estimates that $170 million in loans have been paused each day. That adds up to more than $4.5 billion over the length of the shutdown. SBA paid out more than $45 billion in loans to 85,000 small business in fiscal 2025. That's a record high for the agency.
* The slowdown in federal procurement is taking its toll on another federal contractor. The government shutdown will cost Booz Allen Hamilton $30 million in revenue and $15 million in profit if it lasts through the end of the week. In its quarterly earnings call, Matt Calderone, Booz Allen's executive vice president and CFO, said the disruption in the federal civilian sector is forcing the company to take out $150 million in annualized revenue. He said Booz Allen's civilian revenue is down more than 20% this year. Booz Allen said it will reduce layers and numbers in its senior ranks. Officials didn't provide details of its plans.
* The Environmental Protection Agency is pushing new cybersecurity tools to help water systems protect their networks. The EPA last week released a series of guides, plans and checklists to help water facilities incorporate cybersecurity into their planning and operations. They come as cyber attacks targeting water systems have increased in recent years. The EPA and other oversight agencies have urged water and wastewater utilities to adopt basic cyber hygiene practices to defend their systems.
* Some shutdown-exempt employees at the Food and Drug Administration are still waiting for missed paychecks. Over 7,000 FDA employees were marked as furloughed in the agency's payroll and timekeeping system, causing some but not all to receive a missing or partial paycheck last week. FDA employees have been instructed to report any errors to the agency's HR system and to submit another report if the issue isn't resolved by this Thursday. Most FDA employees keep working during a government shutdown and are paid on time, using carryover funds.
* TRICARE beneficiaries can enroll in or make changes to their health plan for 2026. TRICARE Open Season begins on Nov. 10 and runs through Dec. 9. The Defense Department has also announced several major TRICARE program changes for 2026, like eliminating cost-sharing for all covered contraceptives and begin covering FDA-approved weight loss drugs for treating obesity. TRICARE will also no longer cover puberty blockers or hormone therapy for minors to treat gender dysphoria. In addition, beneficiaries will receive expanded coverage for procedures such as lung cancer treatments and preventive surgeries for patients at high genetic risk of cancer. The program is also updating rules for automatic prescription refill procedures. All changes take effect January 1, 2026.
* Service members have reported receiving incorrect pay or no pay at all during the mid-month pay cycle as the shutdown continues. Out of 369 military families that reached out to the National Military Family Association, an advocacy group that represents service members and their families nationwide, 164 reported being underpaid, some by as little as $148 and others by as much as $2,000. Most affected families were underpaid by about $600 to $800. About 55 families said they were not paid at all, while 50 families said they were overpaid, some by $400, while one family said they received three times their regular paycheck. The Defense Department has instructed service members to contact their finance office or notify their commanding officer if there is an issue with their pay.
* Nearly 3,000 federal employees have already received $150 dollar grants from the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund under its shutdown assistance program. FEEA said these employees are from 49 states and are using the grants for essentials like groceries, gas and other basic necessities. A majority of the recipients are excepted service employees and almost two-thirds work at DoD and DHS, including CBP and TSA. Employees from the IRS and SSA make up another large percentage of the grantees. These FEEA Board of Directors has earmarked up to $1 million for this program.
* The shutdown is starting to put a drag on the security clearance process. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is still processing background investigations during the shutdown thanks to its Working Capital Fund. But DCSA is not accepting any new cases from industry, which could potentially put a strain on backlogs when the shutdown ends. DCSA also put a hold on contractor fingerprint submissions. And the agency has paused facility security inspections and cybersecurity assessments.