From ABC News:
“Government shutdown becomes longest in history: How we got here and what's next”
The government shutdown on
Wednesday entered its 36th day, officially becoming the longest shutdown in
U.S. history. That means the two longest shutdowns in American politics have
occurred under President Donald Trump, with the previous 35-day record having
been set during his first term in 2019. There's been little movement on Capitol
Hill over the past five weeks as Republicans and Democrats blame one another
for the stalemate. Democrats are keeping up their demand for an extension of
Affordable Care Act subsidies, while Trump and Republicans say they won't
negotiate until the government is reopened.
Meanwhile, the impact on
Americans is growing more painful by the day. The 42 million Americans who rely
on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are left
vulnerable after funding lapsed and the administration committed to only
partial payments. ACA recipients saw their health insurance premiums spike as
open enrollment began on Nov. 1, in some cases as much as 300%. Airports across
the country are experiencing delays amid staffing shortages, with thousands of
air traffic controllers working without pay. Transportation Secretary Sean
Duffy warned "mass chaos" could be in store and some airspace might
have to be closed if the shutdown continues.
How we got here
Here are key moments from the
shutdown so far.
Oct. 1: The federal
government shut down at 12:01 a.m. after Republican and Democratic proposals
that would have funded the government failed in the Senate at the eleventh
hour. The Democrat bill included extensions for health care subsidies under the
ACA while the Republican bill would have funded the government at current
levels until Nov. 1.
Oct. 10: The Trump
administration begins to layoff thousands of federal workers. Agencies impacted
include the Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and
Urban Development, Homeland Security and Treasury departments. Among those
fired are substance abuse and mental health services employees, special
education staff and more.
Oct. 14: Two weeks into
the shutdown with virtually no progress, House Speaker Mike Johnson predicts
they are headed toward "one of the longest shutdowns in American
history." The House has remained out of session the entire shutdown after
Republican members passed a clean, seven-week funding bill in mid-September.
Oct. 15: The Pentagon says
that troops have been paid and will not miss a paycheck due to the shutdown.
The military did this by moving $8 billion from existing funds.
Oct. 24: More than 500,000
federal employees miss their first full paycheck. Just days later, the
president of the country’s largest union representing federal workers called on
lawmakers to pass a short-term spending bill to end the shutdown, a statement
seized on by Republicans to ramp up pressure on Democrats.
Oct. 30: President Trump,
back from a weeklong trip to Asia, reinserts himself in the shutdown drama by
calling on Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster and unilaterally
reopen the government. But his call is quickly rebuffed by Senate Majority
Leader John Thune.
Nov. 1: Funds run dry for
SNAP benefits, leaving 42 million Americans vulnerable. (The Trump
administration, after being ordered to do so by a federal judge, later says it
will dip into contingency funds for benefits but those payments will only be
partial ones.) Plus, open enrollment begins for Affordable Care Act recipients
with prices for insurance premiums skyrocketing next year.
Nov. 4: The Senate fails
for the 14th time to advance a clean, short-term funding bill. The record is
tied for longest-shutdown in history.
What's next? A major
question going forward is whether Trump will get more personally involved in
trying to bring the shutdown to an end. White House press secretary
Karoline Leavitt, asked that question on Tuesday, said Trump's "making his
position on it quite clear" as she reiterated his call for Republicans to
nuke the filibuster. Thune has said he doesn't believe enough Senate
Republicans will go for changing the traditional Senate rule. All Senate
Republicans have been invited to the White House for a breakfast tomorrow
morning, a White House official and two Congressional aides confirmed to ABC
News.
^ 36 days and counting with no
end in sight.
900,000 Federal Workers sent home
with no pay.
2 Million Federal Workers forced
to work with no pay.
No Food or Heating Assistance
for: 16 Million Children, Soldiers, the Sick, the Homeless, the Hungry, 22,000
Military Families, 1.2 Million Veterans, 7 Million Elderly or 4 Million
Disabled.
Long lines at Airports because of
TSA Security, US Border and Air Traffic Controllers not being paid and calling
out sick. ^
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