A picture of Capitol Hill. USCP.GOV / COURTESY
Elaina Batista, Asst. Social Media Editor
The United States Government has been shut down for over a week due to Congress failing to come to an agreement on a federal funding budget. Therefore, some, but not all, U.S. government services are temporarily suspended and about 750,000 people are on unpaid leave.
This number correlates to approximately 40% of the federal work force, according to the BBC.
Republicans and Democrats were unable to agree to pass a bill funding government services before the Oct. 1 deadline, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress. Since 60 votes are needed in order to pass a spending bill, Democrats were left with some room for negation.
Among the key issues Democrats are advocating for are the extension of expiring tax credits that help make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans, as well as the reversal of Trump-era cuts to Medicaid, the government healthcare program serving millions of elderly, disabled and low-income individuals.
The president and members of Congress will still be paid during the shutdown, as set out in the U.S. Constitution. Workers are paid on time if their work is supported by means other than congressional funds, such as application fees or postal earnings. However, employees of other federal agencies are expected to work during the shutdown without pay until the government opens back up. The next payday for military service members is on Oct. 15, and a missed payday would affect about 1.3 million active-duty service members.
On Friday, Oct. 10, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that Democrats would not agree to support reopening the government or back a Republican short-term funding bill in exchange for a GOP promise to hold a vote on extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that he remains confident in the position in terms of negation for pushing for health care subsidies, stating to members of the press, “every day gets better for us,” as the shutdown continues.
On the ninth day of the government shutdown, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appeared on C-SPAN to take calls from viewers and address their questions and concerns about the ongoing federal closure.
One caller, who identified herself as a Republican, shared that she has, “two medically fragile children and a husband who actively serves this country.” She expressed deep frustration with the Speaker and the Republican Party, saying she was disappointed by their handling of the shutdown.
“You refuse to call the House back just for show,” the caller said on-air. “I am begging you to pass this legislation — my kids could die!”
In response, Speaker Johnson expressed sympathy for her situation but placed blame on the opposing party, saying, “Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are preventing your families from getting the care they need, not Republicans. My heart goes out to you.”
Along with the government shutdown, the president is pushing for the National Guard to be expanded nationwide.
Recently, a federal judge temporarily halted National Guard development throughout Illinois. The order, issued by U.S. District Judge April Perry, blocks troops coming from any state, including Texas, into the state of Illinois. The order states, “Defendants, their officers, agents, assigns entered, and all persons acting in concert with them, are temporarily enjoined from ordering the federalization and deployment of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois.”
The president made a rebutting argument that the troops are needed to, “protect federal property and personnel who are executing federal law.”