Partisan Negotiations, Trump Statements, and a Clean CR to Reopen

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The bitter fight on Capitol Hill over short-term funding has stretched the government shutdown into its sixth week, with talks collapsing again over the weekend and no vote scheduled to reopen agencies. The stalemate has left roughly 900,000 federal workers on furlough and about two million employees—including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers—on the job without pay.

Airlines and aviation groups warn of a growing risk to the nation’s air system, and major carriers are pressing Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that would restart operations and trigger back pay. But leaders in both parties remain dug in, and President Trump is signaling he won’t move unless Democrats drop their demands on healthcare policy.

Core dispute: policy riders vs. a “clean” stopgap

At the center of the stalemate is not the amount of temporary funding but what else is attached to it.

• Senate Democrats have rejected a series of House-passed stopgap bills (fourteen in all) because those measures do not include an extension of expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies.
• Republicans argue a clean continuing resolution means keeping policy questions out of a short-term bill.
• Democrats insist keeping the subsidies in the package is essential given their impact on families.

Each side accuses the other of holding the country “hostage.” President Trump has blamed Democrats directly: “I’m not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats who have lost their way,” and said the shutdown will end “when Democrats give in.” The White House claims the healthcare add-ons would balloon costs and expand benefits for non-citizens—charges Democrats strongly reject.

Senate arithmetic and procedural roadblocks

The Senate math is unforgiving.

• Most bills need 60 votes to pass, and neither party has that number alone.
• President Trump has urged Republicans to end the filibuster, saying: “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
• Senior Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have resisted scrapping the filibuster, warning it would remove protections their party might need in the future.

Two competing proposals recently failed on the Senate floor:

1. A Republican-backed extension of current spending until November 21 without policy riders.
2. A Democratic version that includes the healthcare subsidy extension and tighter controls on the White House’s use of funds.

Neither side has stripped the most contentious provisions to allow a clean continuing resolution to advance.

Aviation impacts and industry pressure

As the shutdown grinds on, the effects are increasingly visible at airports.

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a 10% cut in flights at 40 large airports due to staffing limits.
• Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian estimated the company is losing less than $1 million per day during the pause in normal operations, but warned the real threat is staffing at TSA checkpoints: “The more obvious concern is TSA and ensuring that those checkpoints are staffed accordingly.” He cautioned that another 10 days of shutdown could cause serious disruptions.

Airlines have taken operational steps:

• Delta expanded customer waivers during the shutdown, allowing passengers to change, cancel, or refund flights—including basic economy fares—without penalty.
• Airline industry groups and major carriers are calling on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to resume agency work, clear payroll, and reduce the risk of cascading delays.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union has pressed lawmakers to pass a clean bill, warning the deadlock “would never end” without one. Front-line workers missed their first full paycheck on November 4 and face mid-month financial obligations.

Broader federal impacts and political rhetoric

Pressure is mounting beyond aviation:

• Treasury officials warned that service members may not receive pay on November 15 if the shutdown continues.
• Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins apologized to SNAP recipients: “your government is failing you right now […] poverty is not red or blue.”
• House Speaker Mike Johnson responded, “when she says ‘We have failed you’, she means ‘We, the Democrats’,” highlighting the daily exchange of political blame.

Each press conference tends to end with leaders pointing fingers rather than presenting a practical path to secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate.

The policy fault line: ACA premium tax credits

The most consequential policy dispute centers on the extension of pandemic-era ACA premium tax credits.

• Democrats argue that without the extension millions would lose coverage or face higher costs.
  • The Congressional Budget Office estimates the extension would increase the insured population by 3.8 million, while adding to the deficit over the long term.
• Republicans say attaching subsidies to a stopgap is the wrong vehicle and accuse Democrats of trying to expand entitlements through a rushed process.
• The White House and GOP lawmakers also criticize what they call benefits for non-citizens and place a ten-year price tag in the hundreds of billions—claims Democrats call misleading.

Both sides agree a clean continuing resolution would be easier to pass—if only they agreed on what “clean” means.

Administration dynamics and stalled talks

Within the administration, President Trump maintains a hard line:

• He blames the Senate’s 60-vote requirement and urges scrapping the filibuster to pass funding on party-line votes.
• Senate GOP leaders have declined, citing long-term risks.
• The President has also said he won’t meet with Democratic leaders until the government reopens, a stance lawmakers say has chilled talks.

Trump: “The Republicans are voting almost unanimously to end it, and the Democrats keep voting against ending it.” The repeated cycle remains: the House passes a bill, the Senate blocks it, and agencies inch closer to service cuts.

Real-life consequences for federal employees

For federal workers waiting on back pay:

• Most are into a second missed pay cycle.
• Air traffic controllers and TSA officers work mandatory shifts, while furloughed colleagues wait to be called back.
• The law typically guarantees back pay once funding is restored, but that is little comfort for those juggling rent, car payments, and child care.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes that past shutdowns show payroll systems take time to restart and disburse funds even after a deal, which means the sooner a clean bill passes, the sooner workers see money in their accounts.

Airport operations and limits

The strain on the aviation system is the most public sign of the breakdown:

• Airport directors report longer lines at peak times and patchy staffing as workers swap shifts.
• The FAA has limited some air traffic flows to keep safety margins intact—an action described as temporary but necessary.
• Major carriers have contingency plans but cannot replace federal functions such as certifying aircraft, operating security checkpoints, or staffing radar scopes.

The FAA posts updates through the Federal Aviation Administration, where travelers can find general operational information: https://www.faa.gov. The agency has not changed the 10% cut at major hubs.

Paths forward and political impasse

Both parties outline different fixes:

• Democrats: Pass a funding bill that maintains the expanded subsidies now and defer broader budget fights.
• Republicans: Pass a truly clean continuing resolution without healthcare provisions or changes to how the White House manages funds.

Each side accuses the other of redefining “clean” to force concessions. With the filibuster intact, some bipartisan Senate support is required—and that math has not changed since the shutdown began on October 1.

Potential breakpoints discussed by insiders:

1. A narrow agreement that strips or delays the healthcare fight.
2. A very short extension to allow paychecks to go out while broader talks continue (dismissed by leaders in both parties).

For now, the FAA limits remain and airlines continue to warn about risks.

Economic ripple effects and daily realities

If the shutdown extends through a busy travel period, the consequences could escalate:

• Executives warn flight disruptions will be harder to contain.
• Airport vendors fear falling sales.
• Small contractors reliant on federal work report they can’t bill or get paid.

This economic pain generates constituent pressure on congressional offices, but so far it has not produced the votes needed to reach 60. Lawmakers involved in talks describe a day-by-day process dominated by press statements and floor speeches—no secret back channel or waiting handshake deal.

Immediate outlook

If there is a breakthrough it would likely:

• Strip out the healthcare fight, or
• Delay that fight while delivering a short-term funding fix.

Failing that, the status quo continues: FAA limits in place, airlines urging action, unions rallying, and federal workers and travelers left in limbo.

For federal employees, the promise of back pay once a bill passes means little without a date. For passengers, waiver policies provide some relief but don’t erase the stress of missed connections or longer lines. For Congress, the choice remains: pass a clean continuing resolution or keep attaching policy fights and prolong the shutdown.

As the week opens with no vote scheduled, neither party is signaling a shift. Airlines keep pleading, unions keep rallying, and the country waits for the 60 votes that can make airport screens—and pay stubs at home—finally turn back on.