(Washington, D.C.) The U.S. federal government shutdown entered its 34th day on Monday, with initial signs of an end to the deadlock emerging in the Senate.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune, responding to reporters' questions on Monday (November 3), said he was "optimistic" about ending the shutdown, adding, "We're getting closer to an exit." This was seen as a small but significant shift in tone.
Senate Democratic Whip John Durbin said, "I feel that too." However, he quickly added, "We're still stuck on how to deal with healthcare costs."
The deadlock remains unresolved because Democrats demand that the appropriations bill must include an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Collins revealed on Monday that negotiations had progressed, with Democrats offering concrete wording to break the deadlock, and both parties' teams working overtime over the weekend. "It feels much better this week," she said. However, she also warned that no agreement has been reached, and the situation could still break down again.
According to Axios, a small group of bipartisan moderate House members proposed a compromise: extending the expanded ACA tax credit for two years, but with new restrictions on those with incomes at the eligibility limit. Further Reading
The U.S. government shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel to work without pay, disrupting tens of thousands of flight takeoffs and landings.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy told CNBC on Monday that the shutdown has increased risks to the aviation system. "If we think it's unsafe, we'll close the entire airspace and stop people from traveling. We haven't reached that point yet, but the flight delays are severe."
The Airlines for America (AAA) said that since the government shutdown, more than 3.2 million passengers have faced flight cancellations and delays due to staff shortages in air transport. The U.S. Travel Association and hundreds of travel-related organizations and businesses submitted a joint letter to Congress on Monday, stating that the shutdown has already cost the U.S. tourism industry more than $4 billion (approximately S$5.2 billion).
The Trump administration announced on Monday that it would use emergency funds to maintain half of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) relief payments this month, but some states may need weeks or even months to resume payments. This federal food relief program, which spends more than $8 billion a month, suspended payments on November 1 due to running out of funds.
