(Washington, D.C.) The U.S. government shutdown has lasted 36 days, breaking a record set nearly seven years ago. The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday travel rush may lead to check-in chaos due to staff shortages.
Since 1980, the U.S. has experienced 15 government shutdowns. The previous longest was 35 days during Trump's first term, from late 2018 to early 2109. This current shutdown entered its 36th day on Wednesday (November 5th) Eastern Time, breaking that record.
The Senate held its 14th vote on a temporary funding bill related to the shutdown crisis the previous day, but failed to obtain the 60 votes needed for passage. Both parties continued to blame each other, with no signs of compromise. Democrats stated they would only vote to end the shutdown after reaching an agreement to extend Medicare subsidies; Republicans insisted that Democrats vote to restore government operations before discussing healthcare issues.
The prolonged shutdown continues to exacerbate economic losses. The Congressional Budget Office recently indicated that if the shutdown continues for six weeks, the economic losses could rise to $11 billion (approximately S$14.4 billion).
The impact continues on essential sectors such as aviation safety and food assistance in the United States. 1.4 million federal employees, including air traffic controllers and park rangers, remain on furlough or working without pay.
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The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that 5.8 million passengers will travel on domestic flights during the Thanksgiving holiday season on November 27. The White House has warned that rising absenteeism among air traffic control and transportation security personnel could lead to chaos at check-in counters.
Data from the Airlines for America (AAA) shows that more than 3.2 million American travelers have been affected by flight delays or cancellations since the start of the government shutdown. Transportation Secretary Duffy warned that if the shutdown continues, the U.S. may be forced to close parts of its airspace.
