Democrats Demand Extension of Obamacare
Oppose Passing Budget Bill With Conditions
Trump: "Obamacare Is Terrible"
On the 3rd (local time), as the standoff between the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States continues, the federal government shutdown (Shut Down·temporary suspension of operations) has entered its 34th day. There is growing speculation that this could surpass the previous record of 35 days set during the first Trump administration in 2019.
According to the Associated Press and other sources, the delay in passing the budget bill is due to the extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as "Obamacare." The Democratic Party is demanding that the government guarantee the extension of Obamacare so that the insurance premium subsidies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic do not expire in January of next year, and is calling for negotiations to reopen the government. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, emphasized, "Trump and the Republican leadership must come to the negotiating table."
On the other hand, President Trump, as he stated in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" on the 31st of last month, is pushing back, saying, "I will not be blackmailed by the Democrats' demands." He also stated, "Obamacare is terrible. It can be fixed once the government is open," and maintained a hardline stance by adding, "I will not negotiate until the government is reopened."
President Trump also reiterated his demand that the Republican leadership in the Senate change the rules to abolish the filibuster. While Senate Republicans oppose this, calling it a "core mechanism," President Trump is pressuring his party, saying, "This time is different. The Republican Party must become stronger. If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want."
As the shutdown drags on, federal employees have reached the point where they are not receiving their paychecks. Approximately 42 million people are at risk of losing access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. However, the Trump administration has decided to partially restart SNAP in accordance with a court ruling.
With the shortage of air traffic controllers worsening, warning signs have appeared throughout the U.S. aviation system. Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, said in an interview with CNBC that day, "If we determine it is not safe, we will close the entire airspace," and added, "We will not allow people to travel by air." He continued, "We are not at that level yet, but the risks to the current (air traffic control system) have increased significantly," warning of the situation.
However, John Thune, Senate Republican Whip, expressed an optimistic outlook, saying, "I think we can end the shutdown within this week," and announced that the Senate would hold its 14th vote on the budget bill passed by the House on the 4th. He said, "Considering how these things tend to proceed, I have a gut feeling that the exit is near."
Depending on the timing of the vote, the record for the longest shutdown in U.S. history could change. The 35-day shutdown from December 2018 to January 2019 during the first Trump administration ended when President Trump withdrew his demand for border wall funding. At that time, there were repeated flight delays at airports nationwide, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees went without pay multiple times, resulting in a situation similar to the current one.
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