Government Shutdown Becomes Longest In US History As Impact Felt Nationwide
Adedokun Waliyu
2 min read
The United States government shutdown has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the longest ever in the nation’s history and disrupting the lives of millions of Americans.
Federal programme cuts affecting food assistance, among other critical aspects of everyday life, flight delays, and federal workers nationwide forced to work without pay, were set to continue with no end in sight on Wednesday.
Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, and the pain has been mounting as welfare programmes hang in limbo.
US President Donald Trump, whose first term at the White House set the previous government shutdown record, is set to meet early on Wednesday for breakfast with Republican senators. But no talks have been scheduled with the Democrats.
Trump has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring health insurance subsidies until they agree to reopen the government, claiming they are “extorting” him.
Hours before the shutdown record toppled at midnight on Tuesday, the Trump administration sounded the alarm over turmoil at airports nationwide if the crisis drags beyond a sixth week, with worsening staff shortages snarling airports and closing down sections of airspace.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted there could be chaos in the skies next week if air traffic controllers miss another paycheque.
Air travel on the busiest US holiday, Thanksgiving, on November 27 is expected to set a new record this year, the American Automobile Association projected, with 5.8 million people set to fly domestically.
More than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are working without pay, and the White House has warned that increased absenteeism could mean chaos at check-in lines.
Airport workers calling in sick rather than working without pay – leading to significant delays – was a major factor in Trump bringing an end to the 2019 shutdown, which began over his demands for funds to build a US-Mexico border wall.
