Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on two separate spending proposals on Oct. 1, leading to a partial government shutdown that has entered its second week.
Both parties failed to agree on healthcare policies, with Democrats demanding an extension of healthcare premiums, which have offered billions of dollars in tax credits made possible under the Affordable Care Act.
According to CNN, Democrats are pushing to prolong these credits, which have provided billions in subsidies and are set to expire by the end of 2025.
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010 to extend access to affordable health insurance, provide improved care quality at lower costs. Under the ACA, most Americans are required to have health coverage, which can be purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, a platform established by the ACA that allows Americans to shop for and enroll in different plans.
Democrats argue that extending premium tax credits is essential to maintaining affordability for millions of Americans.
Republicans, however, have resisted these demands, leading to a political statement.
Although Republicans currently hold the majority in both chambers of Congress, with a 53– 47 split in the Senate, they have been unable to reach the 60 votes required to advance their spending bill.
For a bill to become law, the House of Representatives and the Senate must agree on the same version of that bill.
In order to avoid a shutdown, the House would need to approve a stopgap funding bill on Sept. 19, which, according to Politico, would keep the government funded through Nov. 21.
This would have allowed certain federal agencies to continue operating with full or partial funding. However, the Senate rejected the bill in a 54–45 vote on Oct. 8, rejecting proposals from both parties and effectively triggering the shutdown.
The Senate originally rejected a stopgap bill on Sept. 19 and has since rejected numerous funding proposals from both parties, leading to the shutdown on Oct. 1.
A government shutdown happens when essential services such as national security and air traffic control continue; however, federal workers are often forced to work without pay or face furloughs.
President Donald Trump said that those who have been suspended may not receive compensation for the time they spent out of office, even though they are entitled to receive it.
The consequences have rippled across multiple agencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health have laid off significant portions of their staff.
Reuters reports that 55% of the Defense Department’s 740,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, and the Department of State has laid off 62% of its workforce.
Similarly, most employees at the census bureau within the Department of Commerce have been let go.
This is the third government shutdown under the Trump administration, but unlike previous ones, the White House has threatened the permanent layoffs of federal employees.
Certain essential workers, such as air traffic controllers, are still required to work despite the lack of pay.
During the last shutdown in 2019, air traffic disruptions ultimately pressured Trump to approve a temporary funding deal on Jan. 25, 2019, according to NPR.
As of Oct. 8, there is no clear end for the current shutdown, and many predict it could continue for weeks unless both parties reach an agreement.
