The shutdown became the longest in US history

Federal agencies shut down after Congress failed to approve funding beyond September 30, and the problems are compounded as social programs — including assistance that helps millions of Americans buy food — are left in limbo, AFP reports.

In recent days, Congress has shown the first fragile signs of progress in finding a way out of the impasse, although — for now — 1.4 million federal employees, from air traffic controllers to park rangers, remain on furlough or working without pay.

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Hours before the shutdown record was broken at midnight, the Trump administration sounded the alarm about chaos at airports across the country if the crisis drags on into its sixth week, with deepening staff shortages leading to airport closures and airspace closures.

Airport workers were a major factor in Trump ending the 2019 shutdown.

However, both Democrats and Republicans remain unyielding on the main sticking point in the current shutdown: healthcare spending.

Democrats say they will only vote to end the shutdown once an agreement has been reached to extend expiring insurance subsidies that make healthcare affordable for millions of Americans.

Republicans insist that they will only address healthcare issues after Democrats vote to “turn the lights back on” in Washington.

Photo: screenshot.

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