>> in a government shutdown, social security checks still go out on time. >> reporter: as he explained why defaulting is worse than a government shutdown. >> in an economic shutdown, if we don't raise the debt ceiling, they don't go out on time. >> reporter: he, again, pressured house speaker john boehner to fund the government and drop obama care concessions. >> call a vote. put it on the floor. and let every individual member of congress make up their own minds. they can show the american people, are you for a shutdown or not? >> reporter: even a car chase and shooting on capitol hill brought into the chaos in washington. the two fellow officers injured are working without pay because of the shutdown. brianna keilar, cnn, washington. it's back to work for some government employees. fema put a temporary halt to the temporary layoff as it gears up for tropical storm karen, expected to strike the gulf coast this weekend. the agency furloughed 86% of its