As the shutdown enters its second month, political brinkmanship over healthcare leaves federal workers unpaid and key programs strained.
Jonathan Roman | Staff Writer
The U.S. federal government has been shut down for 36 days, marking the longest government shutdown in American history. The stalemate shows no signs of ending, with neither Democratic nor Republicans Leaders willing to go to the negotiating table, as the shutdown stretches into its second month.
The Shutdown began on October 1, when Congress failed to pass a spending bill to fund federal agencies and programs. When funding lapses, agencies lose the authority to spend money or pay their employees, forcing employees to stay home and millions more to work without pay.
At the center of the dispute is a battle over the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Democratic leaders are pushing to extend health care subsidies that are set to expire at the end of 2025. 22.4 million Americans are dependent on those subsidies to afford coverage. Republicans who hold a narrow majority in both the House and the senate argue for a “clean spending bill”, one that continues funding the government without any expansion in health care.
As the shutdown drags on, President Trump is pressuring Senate Republicans to end the filibuster. The Filibuster is a procedural rule that requires 60 votes instead of a simple majority. Democrats in the Senate have used the filibuster 15 times since the shutdown began to block the Republican funding bill.
In an interview on 60 Minutes, President Trump said he “won’t be extorted”, stating that Democrats are holding the government hostage. The filibuster has been a hot topic in American politics. During the Biden administration, progressives pushed to end the rule to advance Voting Rights and Climate legislation, but Democratic leaders ultimately refused. Trump’s push to end the filibuster has been met with a similar response by Republican leaders. Senate Republicans warn that removing the filibuster could damage the chamber’s balance of power, a long-standing view held by the GOP.
Senate Democrats, led by minority leader Chuck Schumer, say that they will not support any funding package that excludes health care protections. Stating “Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans, and the clearer it becomes who’s fighting for them”. Democrats accuse Republicans of prioritizing political optics over real negotiation.
While leaders of both parties hold strong on their positions, moderate lawmakers from both parties are reportedly discussing a short-term reopening plan to give negotiators more time, though there has yet to be any public announcement.
Roughly 900,000 federal workers have been furloughed since the shutdown began, and another 2 million are working without pay. Air Traffic controllers and Federal Aviation Administration employees are deemed “essential workers” and are required to report to work without paychecks. At New York City’s LaGuardia Airport, 50% of flights were delayed and 12% concealed, with long delays. Many controllers are calling out from work, resulting in widespread absences. The Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on November 4 that parts of the U.S. airspace may need to close if the shutdown persists into next week.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to 42 million Americans, had also been affected by the shutdown. Following a court order, the administration announced on Nov. 1 that it will use emergency funds to pay half of November’s SNAP benefits, providing temporary funds to millions of Americans, as we head into the holiday season. However, on November 4, President Trump posted on ‘Truth Social’ that he will not follow the court order saying SNAP “Will be given only when the Radical left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do and not before”.
According to a new NBC poll, 52% of Americans blame Trump or congressional Republicans for the shutdown, and 42% blame congressional Democrats. The NBC poll also has 55% of Americans disapproving of the President.
With key programs running on limited funds and federal workers still without pay, the government remains at a standstill. The effects will continue to be felt by millions of Americans across the country until Congress reaches an agreement to open the government.
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