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Government shutdown drags on, threatens federal workers' paychecks as pay deadline nears

Air traffic controllers will be the first to not receive a full paycheck as the Oct. 31 military pay deadline approaches. In addition, SNAP funding could run out on Nov. 1.

Deadline to avoid government shutdown is Dec. 20/ Alisson Robbert

Deadline to avoid government shutdown is Dec. 20/ Alisson RobbertAFP

Agustina Blanco
Published by
Agustina Blanco

The U.S. federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week, is taking a heavy toll on federal workers, who face the loss of their salaries.

Air traffic controllers will become the first to go without a full paycheck, while the October 31 military pay deadline approaches.

In addition, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could run out on Nov. 1.

The Senate plans to vote again this week on a House-approved plan to reopen the government through Nov. 21, but approval is expected to be low, as the continuing resolution (CR) has been rejected 12 times.

The central dispute persists: Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, demand that Obamacare premium subsidies be extended before reopening the government, while Republicans, led by John Thune, insist on addressing this issue only after restoring government funding.

Critical deadlines

Meanwhile, critical deadlines are piling up. A bill by Sen. Ted Cruz to cover air traffic controller salaries is pending a vote, but has yet to be introduced by Thune. 

Separately, President Donald Trump redirected funds to cover military pay earlier this month, but those will fall short for the next cycle, despite a donation from a private party.

Senator Ron Johnson proposed a bill to pay "excepted" federal troops and workers (those working without pay during the shutdown), but it was blocked by Democrats, according to a Fox News report.

A new version, along with Senator Chris Van Hollen, is in the works, though it faces similar hurdles.

Reopening the government

In an unexpected twist, the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal workers union, urged Democrats to accept a clean resolution to reopen the government.

In an open letter, its president, Everett Kelley, called for guaranteed back pay for affected employees and advocated further debate on the disputed issues, according to a Fox News review.

With the shutdown dragging on and no deal in sight, federal workers, troops, and recipients of essential programs face growing uncertainty as Washington remains mired in political negotiations.

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