The US government shutdown is poised to become the longest in the nation's history this week as economic pressures mount.
Airports endured their worst weekend so far, while clarity on continued funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps) is expected later Monday.
President Trump has shown no signs of compromise to end the shutdown, which will match the 35-day record on Tuesday.
The President's weekend remarks indicate the White House remains firm. In a CBS "60 Minutes" interview aired Sunday, he stated he "won't be extorted by Democrats," insisting the only plan is to "keep voting"—a strategy that has so far resulted in 13 failed votes.
Trump also reiterated his push for Republican leaders to change Senate rules by eliminating the filibuster. On Sunday night, he told reporters the best way to fund SNAP is for Democrats to concede.
When the Senate reconvenes Monday, a key focus will be whether the Trump administration proceeds with its plan to halt SNAP funding despite court orders. SNAP is the largest US nutrition assistance program, supporting roughly 1 in 8 Americans. Benefit disruptions could rapidly escalate economic and social costs. Two federal judges have mandated continued funding and requested a progress update by Monday.
Meanwhile, air traffic controllers faced their first unpaid paycheck last Tuesday, with flight delays persisting over the weekend—partly due to a reported "surge" in Halloween-related leave requests.
Democrats are leveraging another missed deadline to ramp up political pressure. Saturday marked the start of open enrollment for ACA health plans, which face premium hikes (some doubling next year). Democrats seek extended government subsidies for these plans—a central point of contention in the stalemate.