Government shutdown becomes third-longest in history with no end in sight

A Government Shutdown Looms: Will Congress Act Soon?

The US government is on track to experience its third-longest shutdown in history, with no end in sight. The Supreme Court will run out of funding on Saturday, and while it will remain open for official business, the public is being kept away until further notice.

This is not the only federal agency feeling the pinch. The Army Corps of Engineers has paused $11 billion in projects due to the shutdown, with some high-profile projects like those in New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore on the chopping block. Meanwhile, 1,400 National Nuclear Security Administration employees will be furloughed, with only 375 continuing to work.

The House is set to remain on recess until next week, with no votes scheduled during that time. The Senate, which returns on Monday, also plans to bring up a bill to pay federal employees who continue working during the shutdown.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats will "hold firm" on their demands for an extension of health care tax credits to reopen the government. However, with no clear resolution in sight, some are questioning whether Congress will act soon.

A history of government shutdowns since 1980 shows that this is not a new phenomenon. President Ronald Reagan oversaw eight shutdowns during his time in office, the longest of which lasted three days. The longest shutdown occurred from late 2018 into early 2019, lasting 34 days.

Meanwhile, Senate Senator Mike Thune plans to bring up a bill next week that would pay "excepted" federal employees who are required to work during the shutdown. Law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security will also receive pay if they continue working.

As the government teeters on the brink of another record-breaking shutdown, one thing is clear: time is running out for Congress to act. Will they come together soon to end this prolonged crisis? Only time will tell.

man I'm so done with these gov shutdowns ! like, what's the point of even having a gov if we can't agree on anything?! and now the Supreme Court is gonna get hit too... that's just crazy talk! 1,400 employees getting furloughed? that's not right at all . I'm kinda worried about what's gonna happen when they do finally come back to work... will we still have healthcare tax credits?!?

I'm gettin' a little worried about this whole gov shutdown thing . It's like, can't we all just talk and find some middle ground, you know? I mean, it's not the end of the world if they don't pass that one bill right now. There's gotta be some compromise somewhere. 1,400 people are gettin' furloughed... it's not exactly ideal for 'em. But at the same time, I get why they're standin' firm on healthcare tax credits - it's a big deal, you know? And those Senate Senator Mike Thune and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are both tryin' to find solutions... that's what I like about 'em . Maybe we just need to chill out for a sec, take a deep breath, and figure some stuff out, ya know?

I'm getting a bit worried about these gov't shutdowns ... I mean, it's not the first time we've seen this happen and it's definitely not good for the country. $11 billion just getting paused on projects in cities like NY and SF? That's crazy! 1,400 employees are furloughed and only 375 get to keep working? Not cool.

I think Congress needs to step up their game and figure out a solution already . It's not like this is new stuff, we've seen it happen before under Reagan (8 shutdowns during his time in office). The longest one back in 2018-2019 lasted 34 days! That's like, an eternity for some people.

I'm keeping my eyes on the Senate Senator Mike Thune's bill to pay "excepted" employees who work during the shutdown. That's a good start, but we need more concrete solutions from both parties . The clock is ticking and I hope Congress can come together soon before things get out of hand .

Ugh, another govt shutdown ... Like, what's the point of even having a democratic system if can't get ppl to work together ? I mean, $11 billion in projects getting axed? That's not just waste, that's actual people's lives and communities being affected . And now they're gonna have to live with the consequences... Not. Looking. Forward. To. This . Can't these ppl see how ridiculous this is?

OMG, I'm literally so done with these gov't shutdowns!!! They're like, super frustrating and hurtful to the people who actually work hard every day Can you believe they're gonna have to furlough 1,400 employees?! That's just cruel And what's up with all this back-and-forth between Congress? Like, can't they just agree on something already?! This is the third-longest shutdown in history, and it's getting so annoying... I just wanna see some progress, you know?!

Ugh, i dont think congress should be so divided lol! Like they cant just meet in the middle on something as simple as funding the government. its not like theres a whole lot of people waiting with bated breath for them to figure it out . and come on, 1400 ppl are gonna lose their jobs cuz of this . meanwhile, senator thune is trying to help by bringing up a bill to pay 'excepted' employees, but idk if thats enough . the thing is, i think we need to take a step back and just calm down for a sec . maybe have a breather from all the drama . or not . who knows at this point ?

awww man... it's so sad to think about all these ppl affected by the gov't shutdown 1,400 employees on furlough, projects worth $11 billion paused... that's like losing a part of our country's infrastructure and what really gets me is those law enforcement officers who gotta keep working but get paid less ... can't Congress just come together already?!?

Meh, a gov't shutdown's nothing new, you know? I mean, it's like every 5 years or so we're all "oh no, the government's gonna shut down". Like what's the big deal? A few thousand people lose their pay, but they'll get it back when it's over. And the projects that are getting axed, those can be delayed or something. I don't see why Congress is being so dramatic about it . They should just work together and find a way to fund stuff. It's not like we haven't done this before...

I'm getting a bit worried about this gov't shutdown . It's not the first one we've seen, but it's been happening with alarming frequency since 2018 . I mean, $11 billion in projects being paused is just crazy . And those 1,400 NNSA employees furloughed? That's gotta be tough on them .

I think what's worrying me most is the lack of progress . The House and Senate are both dug in their heels, with no clear resolution in sight . I get that they're trying to stand up for different values, but at what cost?

I'm hoping someone will find a way to come together and find common ground . Those bills from Thune and Jeffries are good starts, but we need more than just exceptions . We need real solutions that'll get our gov't back up and running smoothly .

Time is of the essence . I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Congress will act soon and avoid another record-breaking shutdown . Fingers, toes, and everything else crossed .

ugh I'm getting so frustrated with all these gov't shut downs what's going on is that congress can't even agree on something as simple as paying their employees and keeping the country running? like, have they not seen how this affects the people?! $11 billion just paused because of this and it's gonna cause so much more damage in the long run... I mean I know we can't control everything, but come on!

Ugh I'm getting so tired of these gov't shutdowns it's like they're always playing this game of chicken with each other... I mean, 1,400 employees losing their jobs is just crazy and the projects that are being cut? Like, what about all the people who were counting on them to get done? it's not like they can just magically make money appear out of thin air anyway, i hope congress comes together soon so we don't have to deal with this mess anymore

I'm getting a bit worried about these frequent gov't shutdowns . It's like we're seeing a pattern here and it's not looking good. I mean, what's the point of having Congress if they can't even agree on something as basic as keeping the government running? And it's affecting so many people, from contractors to federal employees... what about those who are counting on their paychecks to get by? The Supreme Court being kept away from the public is just a cherry on top. What's next?

I was just thinking about what I'm gonna do this weekend , maybe take a trip to the beach with friends. But anyway, have you ever noticed how weird it is when you're trying to watch a movie and the credits start playing right after 5 minutes? Like, who's counting that long already? And also, I was talking to my friend the other day about how we both love this one TV show from like, 10 years ago. What was it called again?