The United States is now entering the third week of its government shutdown, making it the second longest in U.S. history. With no progress on a funding solution, the impasse between Republican and Democratic lawmakers continues to grind on, leaving millions of Americans in the lurch.
In the Senate, efforts to advance a bill that would reopen the government through November 21 have stalled once again. Meanwhile, the House remains out of session, further delaying any action to resolve the crisis.
Federal Workers Face First Full Paycheck Miss
The shutdown’s impact is being felt across the country, especially by federal employees, who will miss their first full paycheck this Friday. For many, this is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a financial burden.
As the situation worsens, several states have issued warnings that they may be forced to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting November 1, affecting millions of low-income families.
Capitol Hill in Stalemate: No Progress on Reopening
As lawmakers head home for the weekend, the shutdown looks set to drag into another week with no movement in sight. Capitol Hill has seen little, if any, progress toward reopening the government, and members of both parties are expressing frustration.
Asked if anything had occurred this week that could bring the government closer to reopening, the answer from lawmakers was unanimous: no.
“No, none,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told ABC News. “I think we’re at an impasse. I think we’re going to go into November. It’s horrible.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the situation is no mere political game. “I can’t tell you how wrong it is, I think, to make people suffer because of it, and people are suffering. I mean, I know that in this building, it’s like, oh, this is just a political game. This is not a game.”
Is More Presidential Involvement the Answer?
Despite the lack of progress, Lummis believes President Donald Trump does not need to intervene further. “I think that this is something that Congress needs to handle among itself,” she said. “We know what they’re asking for. It’s $1.5 trillion, and they want to put a Band-Aid on Obamacare when Obamacare needs to be addressed for its underlying inability to deliver affordable health care. So there’s a lot of work to do.”
The stalemate continues to strain the nation’s political system, with no signs of resolution in the near future.
