US government shutdown drags on with no end in sight
The government shutdown entered its 24th day on Friday, with lawmakers still deeply divided over a plan to reopen the government, amid intense partisan finger-pointing over who is to blame.
The Senate left town for the weekend after more votes on bills to reopen the government failed on Thursday, meaning the shutdown will extend into next week. Lawmakers have made little progress in finding a compromise to reopen the government despite mounting pressure with funding for federal assistance programs running out and essential workers continuing to work without a paycheck, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
The next votes on the shutdown are not expected until Monday, when the shutdown will be entering its fifth week.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees went without a full paycheck on Friday even though they are still being asked to show up for work. On Thursday, the Senate rejected dueling bills to pay federal workers during the government shutdown.
Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bill to pay essential workers, while Republicans denied a measure that would have also paid furloughed workers. Roughly 1.4 million federal employees are on furlough or working without pay, causing serious financial strains for the government’s civil servants.
The Trump administration has moved to pay some federal workers, including service members and air traffic controllers, by rearranging preexisting funds. But those budgetary measures are limited, and more employees will go without pay the longer the shutdown drags on.
Essential government services are already starting to suffer setbacks and could further erode the longer lawmakers remain at the current impasse.
An air traffic controller shortage is being exacerbated by the shutdown that is already having visible effects with flight cancellations and delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Thursday he had told controllers to continue to come to work even if they do not get a paycheck.
“I cannot guarantee you your flight is going to be on time. I cannot guarantee your flight is not going to be cancelled,” Duffy said.
Payments for federal food and heating assistance programs could also run out soon.
Also approaching is the Nov. 1 start of open enrollment for people who use the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Health care subsidies are at the center of the government shutdown, with Democrats pushing Republicans to extend them to avoid premiums spiking for enrollees.
Republicans have refused to include an extension of the subsidies in the government funding bill despite bipartisan interest in keeping them going. GOP leadership has offered Democrats to negotiate on the tax credits after the government reopens, an offer Democrats have rejected.
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