With the U.S. federal government shutdown now a record-equalling 35 days old, it looks likely to break previous shutdown records if not resolved very soon. Unfortunately, the Senate has just voted down a short-term funding package that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has already passed. Consequently, this unnecessary and reckless shutdown is occurring right now. The unproductive impasse between Democrats and Republicans has been shouted about from all sides. Now millions of Americans face unprecedented challenges in basic services such as water, transit and power.
We know the toll the shutdown has taken, especially on programs critical to our day-to-day living. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is among the most severely impacted. This critical program helps to deliver critical nutrition assistance to approximately 42 million Americans. The program is currently spending about $9 billion monthly and is at risk because, under the current long-term budget standoff, the money may run out. Concerns are growing over the potential ramifications for those reliant on such assistance, especially as lawmakers continue to grapple with funding solutions.
Even with this tragic backdrop, negotiations are reportedly continuing in lockstep behind the curtain. Senators from both political parties are quietly working on terms for a potential deal aimed at ending the shutdown and resuming normal government operations. Partisan divisions continue to complicate progress.
Yet Republicans have been loath to pay for healthcare programs dubbed Obamacare. This political reluctance adds an additional curtain of complexity to the negotiations. We know the political climate is fraught at the moment. Former President Donald Trump has previously threatened to take SNAP hostage until Democrats capitulate on their side of the funding package. This strategy is a familiar play straight out of his administration’s playbook. As we saw last year, they used emergency funds to ensure SNAP operated at just 50% capacity.
Public opinion seems to be heavily stacked against Republicans and the Trump administration on who should take the blame for the months-long shutdown. Recent polls show that most Americans blame these parties for the potential shutdown. It is this political reality that has moved Democrats, and even some Republicans, to act. They’re pushing for appropriations riders that would prevent the Trump administration from unilaterally cutting funding for programs that Congress has already funded.
In an effort to reestablish normalcy in government operations, bipartisan senators are pushing for a return to standard funding processes. This would be troubling at any time, but the situation is particularly urgent now. It would be yet another record-breaking shutdown — even longer than Trump’s first term record of 35 days set in 2018.
Democratic leaders of the House and Senate have been quick to speak out regarding the disruptive consequences caused by this shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ahead of the crisis stressed that healthcare must be part of the solution and that it should be sensible, saying__ __
“We’re not asking for anything radical. Lowering people’s healthcare costs is the definition of common sense.” – Chuck Schumer
This shutdown is more than a temporary pain in the neck. It represents an enormous risk to the fiscal health of the vital programs that Americans depend on today and every day. As negotiations unfold, the pressure mounts for lawmakers to reach a resolution swiftly.