The United States government shutdown has now surpassed 36 days, marking a record-breaking length in US history. The crippling stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare spending is showing no signs of yielding, leaving millions of Americans feeling the pinch.
Federal program cuts are affecting food assistance programs, causing disruptions to people's daily lives. Flight delays and federal workers nationwide forced to work without pay have become the new norm. The situation has grown increasingly dire, with air traffic controllers missing their second consecutive paycheque.
The White House is warning that if the crisis drags on for another week, there could be chaos in the skies. With the busiest US holiday – Thanksgiving – just around the corner, air travel is expected to set a new record this year, with over 5 million people set to fly domestically.
More than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are working without pay, leading to significant delays. The White House has warned that increased absenteeism could mean chaos at check-in lines.
The root of the problem lies in the healthcare spending stalemate between Democrats and Republicans. While both sides seem unwilling to budge, there have been signs of life on the back benches, with a handful of moderate Democrats working to find an escape hatch.
A bipartisan group of four centrist House members unveiled a compromise framework on Monday for lowering health insurance costs. However, it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to break the deadlock.
The Trump administration has been applying pressure on Democrats to cave, threatening mass layoffs of federal workers and targeting progressive priorities. The President even repeated his threat to cut off a vital aid program that helps 42 million Americans pay for groceries.
Despite these efforts, it appears that both sides are dug in, with no end in sight to the shutdown. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain – millions of Americans are feeling the impact, and it will be a long time before things return to normal.
Federal program cuts are affecting food assistance programs, causing disruptions to people's daily lives. Flight delays and federal workers nationwide forced to work without pay have become the new norm. The situation has grown increasingly dire, with air traffic controllers missing their second consecutive paycheque.
The White House is warning that if the crisis drags on for another week, there could be chaos in the skies. With the busiest US holiday – Thanksgiving – just around the corner, air travel is expected to set a new record this year, with over 5 million people set to fly domestically.
More than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are working without pay, leading to significant delays. The White House has warned that increased absenteeism could mean chaos at check-in lines.
The root of the problem lies in the healthcare spending stalemate between Democrats and Republicans. While both sides seem unwilling to budge, there have been signs of life on the back benches, with a handful of moderate Democrats working to find an escape hatch.
A bipartisan group of four centrist House members unveiled a compromise framework on Monday for lowering health insurance costs. However, it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to break the deadlock.
The Trump administration has been applying pressure on Democrats to cave, threatening mass layoffs of federal workers and targeting progressive priorities. The President even repeated his threat to cut off a vital aid program that helps 42 million Americans pay for groceries.
Despite these efforts, it appears that both sides are dug in, with no end in sight to the shutdown. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain – millions of Americans are feeling the impact, and it will be a long time before things return to normal.