The United States has entered its 36th day of a government shutdown — the longest in the nation’s history — as Congress remains gridlocked over disagreements on health care spending and budget priorities. The standoff, which shows little sign of resolution, has begun to cause widespread economic and logistical disruptions across the country.
Budget stopgaps used to keep critical services afloat are expected to run out by the end of November. Funding for active-duty military pay and food assistance programs is nearing exhaustion, while air traffic controllers, forced to work without pay, are calling out at higher rates. The situation is raising fears of chaos ahead of one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The shutdown’s ripple effects are being felt throughout the economy. The Department of Labor has halted the collection of key employment and inflation data, leaving policymakers without crucial information to guide decisions. Economists warn that the longer the impasse continues, the deeper the damage will be.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the shutdown extends to eight weeks, it could shave up to two percentage points off fourth-quarter economic growth and cost billions in lost output. Roughly 600,000 federal employees are working without pay, while another 650,000 have been furloughed. Unemployment could rise by nearly half a percentage point if those workers are counted as temporarily laid off, according to Bloomberg.
The shutdown reached this record-breaking milestone just hours after Democrats scored a series of electoral victories in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia. President Donald Trump, whose administration has faced sharp criticism for the ongoing impasse, reportedly blamed Republican losses partly on voter frustration over Washington’s paralysis.
Essential government services are being severely affected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has suspended updates to its FluView tracker and halted publication of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, just as flu and respiratory illness season begins. The Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office has furloughed 85 percent of its staff, threatening delays in financial aid applications during peak college admissions season.
Meanwhile, flight delays are mounting. With increasing absences among unpaid air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration has slowed arrivals and departures at major airports, echoing scenes from the 2019 shutdown.
President Trump’s administration has pledged to restore half of November’s food stamp benefits for 42 million Americans, but officials warn that recalculating payments could take weeks or months.
As public frustration mounts, both parties continue to trade blame. Democrats insist on reopening the government fully before negotiations resume, while Republicans accuse them of obstruction. With neither side budging, the nation faces growing uncertainty and a deepening economic toll.