Shutdown Deepens, Becomes Second-Longest

The U.S. government shutdown has entered its third week and, at about 21–22 days, is now the second-longest in U.S. history. The Senate has failed to advance a short-term funding measure in its 11th and 12th votes and still cannot reach the 60-vote threshold, leaving House Republicans needing five Democratic defections to pass a House stopgap to the president. The impasse centers on health care: Democrats demand an extension of COVID-era ACA premium subsidies while President Trump and House Republicans insist on a “clean” reopening and have refused to meet Democrats until the government is reopened. The shutdown is disrupting services and livelihoods, with federal workers missing paychecks, flights delayed and food assistance potentially at risk in November, and markets and polls signaling a real chance the closure could become the longest on record. Some leaders express guarded hope for a near-term vote to end the shutdown, and President Trump has said a vote could come “pretty soon.”