Government Shutdown Enters Fourth Week, Millions at Risk of Impacts

Strategic Insights -

The ongoing federal government shutdown is pushing millions of Americans to the brink, with food assistance, federal workers' pay, and air travel all affected. With no end in sight, lawmakers are under increasing pressure to find a resolution. The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation's largest federal employee union, has called on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to end the shutdown immediately. However, Democrats are demanding commitments from the White House to prevent mass firings and addressing the Affordable Care Act.

Key Takeaways:

  • The shutdown has entered its fourth week, with 1.3 million active-duty service members at risk of not being paid by Friday if the Trump administration cannot shift funds again.
  • The Trump administration has said it will run out of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Friday, affecting 42 million Americans who rely on the program for grocery assistance.
  • Democrats are demanding that Congress address health care costs, including soaring health insurance premiums for millions of Americans, as part of any bill to fund the government.
  • The Senate has consistently fallen short of the 60 votes needed to advance a short-term continuing resolution proposed by the House.
  • Republicans are insisting that negotiations on healthcare costs must wait until the government reopens.
  • Some rank-and-file lawmakers are urging their colleagues to consider the impact of the shutdown on federal employees and Capitol police officers who have not been paid for weeks.
  • Vice President Mike Pence is planning to visit a Republican luncheon on Capitol Hill, but a quick deal appears unlikely.

Statistics:

  • 1.3 million active-duty service members at risk of not being paid by Friday.
  • 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for grocery assistance at risk of losing benefits on Friday.
  • The Trump administration has shifted $8 billion from military research and development funds to make payroll for active-duty service members.
  • The Department of Agriculture has rejected the use of over $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits flowing into November.
  • 28 senators, mostly Democrats, signed onto a letter urging Trump's administration to let ACA enrollees start previewing next year's health insurance options on its marketplace website.
  • The House has proposed a short-term continuing resolution to keep federal agencies funded, but the Senate has consistently fallen short of the 60 votes needed to advance it.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press.
  • Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington.
  • Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.