U.S. lawmakers have been unable to agree on a deal to end the government shutdown, with about 750,000 federal workers furloughed, millions of Americans living without food assistance and air travel suspended across the country.
The government shutdown began on Oct. 1 after opponents in the U.S. Senate could not agree on spending priorities and Republicans rejected a Democratic push to protect health care and other social programs.
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Since then, the two sides have been unable to agree on 14 separate funding measures, delaying payments to hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
After 40 days, senators from both parties are working this weekend to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. But Saturday’s talks showed little sign of breaking the impasse and securing long-term funding for key programs.
On Friday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer proposed to Republicans a smaller version of an earlier Democratic proposal: a temporary extension of health care subsidies. Republicans rejected the proposal, and a record shutdown was extended.
So what do we know about the shutdown and how has it affected Americans?
Flights were disrupted
The closure has caused major disruption to the aviation industry, creating a shortage of unpaid air traffic controllers.
More than 1,530 flights were canceled across the United States on Saturday, and thousands more were delayed as authorities ordered airports to reduce air traffic.
Saturday’s cancellations were up from 1,025 the day before, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. This trend is expected to continue, with at least 1,000 cancellations recorded on Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said staffing shortages are affecting 42 control towers and other facilities, leading to delays in at least 12 major cities, including Atlanta, Newark, San Francisco, New York and Chicago.
Travel disruptions could be politically costly for lawmakers, especially if disruptions continue ahead of the holiday season. The reduction in air traffic will also impact shipping and transportation, as many commercial flights carry cargo along with passengers.
Greg Rife, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group, recently warned that the economic impact would be felt outward. “This shutdown will impact everything from business travel to tourism,” he told The Associated Press.
“It’s going to have a negative impact on local tax revenues and the city’s budget. All of these things are going to have a knock-on effect.”
Threats to food aid
US President Donald Trump has said in recent weeks that he would only resume food aid once the government shutdown ends.
“The extra benefits that have increased by billions (many times!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office…will only be given if the radical left Democrats open up the government,” he wrote on Truth Social earlier this week.
The U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, provides approximately $8 billion in monthly grocery assistance to low-income Americans. The average individual’s benefit is about $190 per month, but a household receives about $356.
health insurance conflict
Democrats blame the shutdown on Republicans’ refusal to renew expired health subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Negotiations stalled again on Saturday after President Trump declared he would not compromise on the issue.
Democrats are seeking a one-year extension of ACA subsidies, which primarily help people without employer or government health insurance buy insurance. But with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Republicans could block the proposal.
President Trump intervened Saturday through Truth Social, calling on Republican senators to redirect federal funds used for health insurance subsidies into direct payments to individuals.
“I encourage Senate Republicans to take the hundreds of billions of dollars that currently go to money-siphoning insurance companies and send them directly to Americans so they can buy better health care for themselves and keep the extra money,” he said.
Approximately 24 million Americans currently benefit from ACA subsidies. Analysts warn that premiums could double by 2026 if Congress allows them to expire.
Has something like this happened before?
This is not the first time Washington has faced such a conflict. The chart below shows all U.S. funding shortfalls and government shutdowns since 1976, including how long each lasted and under which administration.
The current federal budget process dates back to 1976. Since its creation, the government has experienced 20 funding shortfalls, leading to 10 government shutdowns.
Prior to the 1980s, such lapses in funding rarely triggered closures. Most federal agencies continued operations, expecting Congress to soon approve new funding.
That changed in 1980, when Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issued a legal opinion clarifying that under federal law, government agencies cannot spend money without Congressional approval. Only essential functions (such as air traffic control) were allowed to continue.
After 1982, this interpretation came to mean that funding shortfalls more frequently caused full or partial government shutdowns, lasting until Congress reached a resolution.
What happens next?
No breakthrough was announced after the U.S. Senate convened for an unusual Saturday session. The chamber is scheduled to reconvene at 1:30 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters the chamber will remain in session until the government is reopened. “There’s still only one way forward, and that’s an extension of clean financing,” he said.
Approximately 1.3 million military personnel are currently at risk of not receiving paychecks, which could put pressure on both sides to reach a deal. Employees were paid earlier this month after President Trump’s intervention made $8 billion in military research and development funds available.
But questions remain as to whether the administration would resort to similar procedures if the shutdown were to be prolonged. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen told reporters Friday that Democrats “need a different path forward.”
Mr. Shaheen and several moderate Democrats have proposed a plan that would provide temporary funding to specific sectors, such as veterans services and food assistance, while keeping the rest of the government open until December or early next year.
Mr Shaheen’s plan is understood to include the promise of a future vote on health subsidies, although an extension is not guaranteed. It remains unclear whether enough Democrats will support that compromise.
Meanwhile, Thune is reportedly considering a bipartisan proposal. He said Friday that he thought the proposal was a sign that Democrats were “feeling the heat…I guess you could describe it as progress.”
Looking ahead, it remains unclear what Republicans will propose on health care.
For now, Democrats face tough choices. They can continue to push for a firm deal to renew health care subsidies and extend the government shutdown, or they can vote to reopen the government and rely on Republican assurances about future health care votes with no certainty of success.
