The federal government was still shutdown on Wednesday, its ninth day without financing. This was because a disagreement over extending enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits stopped progress on a stopgap package. In any compromise, Democrats want to keep the subsidies safe. Republican leaders said they won’t talk about health care until Congress approves a bill that doesn’t have any other issues.
The effects on operations got worse in the middle of the week. According to Associated Press , the IRS amended its contingency plan and put over half of its workers on furlough. This left a little over half of its personnel on duty to handle exempt activities. Air travel was delayed more and more as air traffic control and screening staff were stretched thin. Federal aviation workers kept working without pay, according to AP News.
The uncertainty about pay made things even worse. President Donald Trump said that furloughed workers might not get back pay when the closure ends. This goes against what has happened in the past and puts more pressure on Congress to act, according to AP News. Hundreds of thousands of government workers are getting ready for missing paychecks as the deadlock goes on.
Since last week, Senate leaders have held numerous test votes that didn’t go well. House leaders, on the other hand, say they will keep pushing a short-term funding package without any policy riders. AP News noted that both parties are under more pressure to find a way to reopen the government because the ACA subsidy deadline is coming up and basic services are limited.
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