WASHINGTON (AP) — The crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington escalated as the federal food assistance program faced delays and millions of Americans are facing dramatic increases in their health insurance bills.
The impacts on basic needs — food and medical care — highlighted how the deadlock is affecting households across the United States. Trump's administration's plans to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were halted by federal judges, but delays in payouts could leave millions unable to afford groceries.
The strain across the nation is compounded by a month without pay for federal workers and increasing air travel delays. This is now the second longest shutdown in history, having entered its second month, yet there is little urgency in Washington to resolve the situation amidst lawmakers' absence from Capitol Hill and entrenched partisan positions.
The House has not convened in over six weeks while Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., ceased weekend sessions after bipartisan discussions yielded minimal progress.
Thune expressed hope that as the implications of the shutdown become more pronounced, both sides would start showing interest in finding a solution.
The impasse, increasingly untenable, comes amid a health care crisis as the Affordable Care Act's annual sign-up period begins, and patients face substantial hikes in coverage costs. These mounting pressures could incite a re-evaluation of funding bills by Congress.
Sarcastically, Trump suggested that Senate Republicans abolish the filibuster obstructing legislative advancements. Nevertheless, Republican leaders promptly dismissed this remark, showcasing the depth of the crisis.
With SNAP payments also at risk, the Department of Agriculture has been urged by judges to proceed with funding to avoid further deficits in the food assistance program, used by about one in eight Americans. The pressure to act mounts continuously as lawmakers grapple with the implications of the shutdown.
