The U.S. is now in the longest Government Shutdown at 38 days. The Shutdown started on October 1, due to lawmakers not being able to pass funding laws for executive agencies for the 2026 year. This surpassed the 34 days that the Trump Administration had previously set in their first term.
During this Shutdown, millions of federal workers have not been getting paid, and an estimated amount of 600,000 workers have been furloughed. There have been Air Traffic Control shortages all over the country, causing long lines and delays at airports. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) furloughed half of it’s workers, leading to delays in taxpayer services.
Alongside federal jobs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stopped on November first, leaving many people over the country angered. The Trump Administration responded, saying they will restart those payments, however they will be delayed and could potentially only be half of the amount people usually receive.
Trump has continued to blame Democrats for this Shutdown, saying that the Democrats are not voting to end the Government Shutdown.
“…the Republicans are voting almost unanimously to end it [the Shutdown], and the Democrats keep voting against ending it.”
Tyler Smith, a freshman at ERHS, shared her thoughts on the Government Shutdown.
“This Shutdown is horrible,” Smith says. “From having longer pre-check lines at airports, to SNAP benefits ending for the month of November, this leaves the country a mess.”
For a Government Shutdown to end, Congress needs to pass appropriations bills that fund for government operations and the President has to sign them. However, the Senate has tried to pass a House-Approved stopgap funding bill, but have failed 14 times. While this has happened, the House has been out of session since the Shutdown started.
