As the U.S. government shutdown enters its 31st day on Friday, tying the longest on record in U.S. history, there is no resolution in sight and pressure is mounting on lawmakers to end the impasse.
Congress remains stalled in budget negotiations, particularly over Medicaid funding and defense spending. Despite growing bipartisan calls for compromise, a vote is not scheduled until next week, leaving federal agencies paralyzed and millions of Americans in limbo.
Nearly 900,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and another 2 million are working without pay. Airports are reporting significant delays due to staffing shortages in the TSA and air traffic control teams.
President Donald Trump has called on the Senate to abolish the filibuster so a Republican majority can bypass Democrats and reopen the federal government.
If the shutdown continues beyond Monday, it will officially be the longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 35-day shutdown in 2018-2019.