Government Shutdown Continues and is Now the Longest in US History
- Richard Sykes
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
UNITED STATES—The federal government has been shut down since October 1, 2025, when lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill in time. By day 36 of the shutdown, the impasse had become the longest in U.S. history.
Here are the key developments:
Negotiations between the parties are ongoing. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) described himself as “optimistic” that an off-ramp could be found this week.
But no immediate vote is scheduled to reopen the government. The Senate repeatedly failed to advance a funding measure passed by the House — fourteen times as of early November.
The lack of resolution is increasingly affecting critical services and raising safety concerns — especially in aviation.
Programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food-aid programs are threatened; benefits have been delayed or reduced in some states.
Impacts and Consequences
The shutdown is beginning to bite — not just in political terms, but in operational and everyday-life terms.
Federal Workforce and Services
Roughly 900,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and many more (over one million) are working without pay.
Some “essential” services continue (e.g., the military remains active), but many programs and agencies are curtailed or closed.
Programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food-aid programs are threatened; benefits have been delayed or reduced in some states.
Travel and Aviation
A particularly urgent area: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that due to staffing shortages and controller fatigue — driven by the shutdown — it will cut flight capacity by up to 10 % in about 40 major U.S. airports, starting Friday. These airports include major hubs like Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York’s airports, and more. Airlines are scrambling to adjust schedules, offering refunds or rebookings.
Political Fallout and Election Effects
The recent mid-term election results (November 4) are being interpreted as a setback for Republicans, and some in the GOP see that as increasing pressure to reopen the government.
Meanwhile, debate is resurfacing over rules in the Senate, specifically the filibuster. Donald J. Trump called for Republicans to scrap the filibuster so funding can pass without Democratic support. Senate GOP leadership says it doesn’t currently have the votes to do so.
The shutdown is not yet resolved. It has moved from being a legislative standoff to a real-world disruption — affecting federal employees, food-aid recipients, travelers, and others.
What to Watch For
Given the current dynamics, here are the critical junctures:
Will there be a Senate vote this week? Negotiators seem to believe an agreement could happen soon, but nothing is assured.
Is the flight-capacity cut the tipping point? The FAA’s planned cut-back is substantial and could push public pressure higher. If thousands of flights are cancelled or delayed, that may change the calculus in Congress.
How will benefits and services continue? As programs like SNAP face disruptions, more states may begin to feel pressure and push for a resolution.
Will rules change in the Senate? If the GOP cannot muster enough votes to override the filibuster or tamp down Democratic objections, it may prolong the impasse.
What is public sentiment? With the shutdown now a record-breaker, blame assignment and voter reaction may affect the political behavior of both parties.
Bottom Line
The shutdown is not yet resolved. It has moved from being a legislative standoff to a real-world disruption — affecting federal employees, food-aid recipients, travelers, and others. With the FAA’s announcement of flight cuts, the urgency is escalating. Both sides claim they want to reopen the government, but disagreements over policy, procedure, and rules continue to stand in the way.
Until there’s a breakthrough in negotiations or a significant trigger forces action (such as severe travel disruptions or major state-level fallout), the status quo may persist — with growing costs to workers, services, and the broader public.
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