"The crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington were coming to a head Saturday as the federal food assistance program faced delays and millions of Americans were set to see a dramatic rise in their health insurance bills. The impacts on basic needs food and medical care underscored how the impasse is hitting homes across the United States."
"It all added to the strain on the country, with a month of missed paychecks for federal workers and growing air travel delays. The shutdown is already the second longest in history and entered its second month on Saturday, yet there was little urgency in Washington to end it. Lawmakers are away from Capitol Hill and both parties are entrenched in their positions."
"Thune said he is hoping the pressure starts to intensify, and the consequences of keeping the government shut down become even more real for everybody that they will express, hopefully new interest in trying to come up with a path forward. The stalemate appears increasingly unsustainable as Republican President Donald Trump demands action and Democratic leaders warn that an uproar over rising health insurance costs will force Congress to act."
The government shutdown has delayed federal food assistance and threatened substantial increases in health insurance costs for millions of Americans. Federal judges temporarily blocked plans to freeze SNAP payments, but delayed payouts will likely leave many households short on groceries. The shutdown has produced a month of missed paychecks for federal workers and growing air travel disruptions. The current impasse is the second longest in U.S. history and continued into a second month with limited legislative activity. Lawmakers remain away from Capitol Hill while both parties hold entrenched positions. Political leaders said mounting public consequences might compel congressional action.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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