FDA "Hard Hit" By Govt. Shutdown
BLITZER: Day two of the federal government shutdown and the impact is being felt across the United States, with federal offices, national parks and a whole lot more closed for business. But perhaps the biggest impact is right here in Washington, the heart of the federal government. CNN's Brian Todd, Erin McPike and John Zarrella are all working the story for us, along with CNN's Rene Marsh, who begins our coverage.</s>RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Rene Marsh at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where 75 percent of their staff has been furloughed. That means hundreds of patients, some including children with cancer, who want to sign up for clinical trials here, can't right now. And in many cases, those clinical trials are a last resort. Now, there will be some exceptions made in certain emergency situations. And the current patients here undergoing clinical trials will continue to get treatment. Now, on Capitol Hill today, House Republicans, they're favoring and they're pushing a measure that would fund NIH completely despite the shutdown. However, senators, they have already said they reject the idea of funding the government by using a piecemeal approach.</s>BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brian Todd at FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland where an official told us they've been hit especially hard by the government shutdown, especially in the realm of food safety inspections. Several hundred FDA food inspectors have been furloughed. That means that the risk of foodborne illness and a possible outbreak increases with every day of the government shutdown. What are the products that are most vulnerable? I asked Caroline Smith Dewaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.</s>CAROLINE SMITH DEWAAL, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: Based on outbreak data, we're especially concerned about produce items, things like leafy greens, cantaloupe, seafood, 80 percent of which is imported to the U.S. Eggs are also regulated by FDA as are processed food items like peanut butter, which caused a major outbreak and killed nine people.</s>TODD: Not every FDA food inspector is on furlough. Hundreds remain on the job, and FDA officials say here they are doing everything to prevent any kind of an outbreak. But still, concern exist that food producers, farms, factories, may make mistakes or cut corners.</s>ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Erin McPike at the World War II Memorial, which did reopen this morning. National Park Service spokeswoman, Carol Johnson, told me today that they reopened it as a first amendment issue for veterans of World War II who are coming to Washington, D.C. on honor flight from different states. I spoke to one of those veterans this morning, Dale Kuhn, who actually fought in the Korean War.</s>DALE KUHN, KOREAN WAR VETERAN: I'm always touched, and the tears come. But then on the other hand, I served my country. I signed the contract with the government that I would do certain things. What are they doing? They're not doing a damn thing.</s>MCPIKE: Politicians on both sides of the aisle came to the memorial this morning to greet veterans from their states as they arrived, and it was bipartisan. But, I did speak to a White House aide this morning who was irritated that House Republicans from all over the country came this morning demanding that the memorial be reopened fully to the public, because they were saying House Republicans want the memorial reopened, they can simply support a clean spending bill.</s>JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm John Zarrella in Brooksville, Florida. This is a head start center provides for 135 children from low-income families. The three- to five-year-olds get meals, education, and health care. The facilities funding ran out Tuesday. Supplemental funding runs out Friday. After that, the doors shut here and at 16 centers run by mid-Florida community services in two other counties.</s>HEIDI RAND, MID FLORIDA COMMUNITY SERVICES: That means 924 children in three counties here in Florida will not get to attend head start, and that means 215 staff members will not have a job after Friday.</s>ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ, PARENT: If they don't make this budget and get it together, we're the ones who are going to suffer, and our children are going to be the ones who are going to -- you know, be without food, be without education.</s>ZARRELLA: Quite a few head start centers around the state had later end dates for their federal dollars or other revenue sources. They're still open, for now.</s>WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: John Zarrella reporting. Coming up, a possible sign of progress on ending the government shutdown. Congressional leaders, they are about to meet with President Obama at the White House a few minutes from now. We're standing by for details. We'll go there live. And could there be another Clinton on the way? Chelsea Clinton says 2014 is, quote, "the year of the baby." We'll tell you what we know. Stay with us. You're in the SITUATION ROOM.