Government shutdown could be longest in history

(Washington) Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson predicted Monday that the federal government shutdown could become the longest in history, saying he would not negotiate with Democrats until they suspend their health care demands.

Alone at the Capitol at 13^e day of the shutdown, the president said he did not know the details of the thousands of federal workers fired by the Trump administration. This is a very unusual mass layoff, widely seen as a way of taking advantage of the closure to reduce the scope of state action. Vice President JD Vance warned of “painful” budget cuts ahead, even as employee unions file lawsuits.

“We are heading towards one of the longest shutdowns in American history,” said Mr. Johnson, elected from Louisiana.

With no end in sight, the government paralysis is expected to continue indefinitely. The shutdown disrupted routine government operations, closed Smithsonian museums and other iconic cultural institutions, and disrupted flights at airports, adding to uncertainty in an already precarious economy.

The House of Representatives is in legislative session, with Mr. Johnson refusing to recall lawmakers to Washington, while the Senate, closed Monday for a federal holiday, will resume its work on Tuesday. But senators are stuck in an impasse of rejected votes, with Democrats refusing to budge on their health care demands.

Mr. Johnson thanked President Donald Trump for ensuring military salaries were paid this week, removing a major pressure point that could have pushed the sides to negotiate. The Coast Guard is also receiving their salaries, a senior administration official confirmed Monday. The latter requested anonymity to discuss projects that have not yet been officially implemented.

Access to health at the heart of the debates

At the heart of the logjam is a debate over health policy, and in particular over Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are expiring for millions of Americans who rely on government help to buy their own health insurance on Obamacare platforms. Democrats are demanding the subsidies be extended, while Republicans say the issue can be resolved later.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that with Republicans near paralysis of the House for the fourth week, no real negotiations were taking place.

With Congress and the White House deadlocked, some are eyeing the end of the month as the next potential deadline for government reopening.

It is on this date that registrations for the health program in question will begin, on 1^er November, and that Americans will face the prospect of soaring insurance premiums. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that monthly costs would double if Congress did not renew grant payments that expire Dec. 31.

It is also on this date that civil servants paid monthly, including thousands of assistants in the House, will find themselves without pay.

The longest government shutdown occurred during Donald Trump’s first term in 2019, following his demands for funding for the construction of the wall on the US-Mexico border. The government remained closed for 35 days.

At the same time, the Trump administration has wide latitude to fire employees and determine compensation. This means that not only the military, but also employees in priority sectors in the eyes of the Trump administration, are not necessarily deprived of pay.

The Pentagon said this weekend it was able to use $8 billion in research and development funds to pay military personnel. They risked not receiving a salary on Wednesday.

The Education Department is one of the hardest hit, disrupting special education, after-school programs and others.

Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.