The US government shutdown is reaching alarming levels. States have been warning for days about how this ongoing shutdown will affect low-income individuals who rely on SNAP benefits. According to official data, this impacts more than 40 million people, in addition to the state employees whose paychecks have been frozen. In total, more than one million employees are facing another week without pay and no word on whether or how long it will take for reimbursements to arrive.
These situations are likely to begin unfolding in the coming days if the government shutdown under Donald Trump continues
The Senate adjourned its session this Thursday at 3:25 p.m. local time (7:25 p.m. GMT) and will not reconvene until the following Monday, prolonging a government shutdown that has now lasted 34 days and left thousands without pay. Approximately 1.4 million employees have not yet received their first full paycheck, leading many families to cut back on expenses and prepare for a potentially prolonged standstill. This situation has sparked concern in various sectors, particularly in air transport, given the risk that air traffic controllers may begin to walk out due to lack of pay. These situations are likely to begin unfolding in the coming days if the government shutdown under Donald Trump continues.
No agreement: Democrats want to continue supporting the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
This government shutdown affecting citizens is a direct consequence of political decisions. Or rather, inaction, since the shutdown stems from the fact that Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on a budget. And as we’ve explained before, even though the Trump administration has a majority in the House of Representatives, it still needs Democratic votes in the Senate. In short, Democrats want to continue supporting the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which expires at the end of this year, but Republicans believe it’s essential to reduce public spending and limit federal subsidies, arguing that expanding them would increase the deficit. And since the country is experiencing high inflation, they see their argument as justified.
Families who will not receive SNAP income will have to resort to food banks
In this context, we have entered a crucial week for the future of more than 40 million people who, along with federal workers, will lose their subsidies. SNAP benefits are designed to ensure that those with the fewest resources are not left destitute. These benefits are intended for food; in fact, families cannot afford anything other than groceries. This means that without this assistance this month, they will face weeks without being able to buy basic food items. It’s important to understand that these benefits are primarily received by large families with young children, elderly members, and in some cases, people with disabilities or those who cannot care for themselves. In other words, this is a population at risk of exclusion. Not only have states expressed concern about this situation, but so have NGOs and food programs that have assigned certain distributions at the end of the month and foresee being overwhelmed, as families who will not receive SNAP income will have to resort to food banks.
Citizens are already anticipating the significant delay in their salaries and benefits
The government’s confusion and instability are only increasing citizens’ concerns. Although the information is clear and, according to the law, federal employees will receive their salaries retroactively, this does little to reassure those who haven’t received their pay this month. This law stems from the Fair Treatment for Government Employees Act of 2019, passed after the historic 35-day shutdown between 2018 and 2019. Therefore, we’ll have to wait and see if there’s consensus within the government and how things will unfold in the coming weeks. Certainly, citizens are already anticipating the significant delay in their salaries and benefits, especially with Thanksgiving just around the corner—one of the nation’s major holidays centered around food.
