Government Shutdown Intensifies: Federal Workers Unpaid, Food Assistance at Risk

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, is causing severe hardship for federal workers and vulnerable populations across the nation. As the shutdown enters its fourth week, essential employees, including air traffic controllers, are working without pay, leading to significant disruptions and safety concerns, as reported by The Guardian on October 28, 2025.

gvwire.com reported, Approximately 11,000 air traffic controllers, deemed essential, received $0 paychecks on Tuesday, marking two weeks of unpaid work. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that another missed paycheck could be financially catastrophic for these employees, according to The Guardian. Many are resorting to second jobs to make ends meet.

Adding to the crisis, federal food stamp benefits, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are at risk of halting on November 1. This potential cutoff threatens to impact 42 million individuals across 22 million households, as stated by the American Enterprise Institute on October 29, 2025.

theguardian.com noted, In response, a coalition of more than two dozen states, including California, New York, and Massachusetts, has filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These states are seeking to compel the USDA to utilize emergency reserve funds to continue distributing SNAP benefits, as reported by CBS News on October 29, 2025.

The USDA, however, maintains that its $5.5 billion contingency fund is not legally available to cover regular benefits during a government shutdown, arguing it is reserved for natural disasters. This stance has been criticized by state officials who contend that withholding these funds violates federal spending laws.

aei.org reported, The political stalemate in Congress, rooted in disagreements over spending and healthcare, is the underlying cause of this widespread disruption. This impasse has curtailed the government's ability to provide crucial public benefits and maintain essential services, according to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center on October 8, 2025.

The situation underscores the profound impact of the shutdown on essential services and the nation's most vulnerable, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution. The lack of funding is creating a ripple effect, affecting everything from air travel safety to basic food security for millions of Americans.

• gvwire.com noted, Historical Context of Government Shutdowns: Government shutdowns in the U.S. occur when Congress fails to pass appropriations bills to fund federal operations. Before 1980, agencies often continued operating, but legal opinions by Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti mandated shutdowns during funding gaps. Since then, there have been numerous shutdowns, with notable ones including the 35-day shutdown in 2018-2019 and the 16-day shutdown in 2013, often stemming from disputes over budget or policy issues like border security or healthcare. The current shutdown began on October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass funding legislation for the 2026 fiscal year.

• Impact on Air Traffic Control: The ongoing shutdown has severely strained the nation's air traffic control system. Nearly 11,000 air traffic controllers, who are essential workers, are required to work without pay, leading to increased absences and significant flight delays across major airports like Chicago, Dallas, and Newark, as reported by The Guardian on October 28, 2025. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged that controllers are "wearing thin" and that flight disruptions could continue, with some controllers taking on side jobs like Uber Eats to cope financially.

• theguardian.com reported, Threat to SNAP Benefits: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, is facing an unprecedented crisis, with benefits for 42 million Americans at risk of stopping on November 1. The USDA has stated it lacks the necessary appropriations to issue November benefits, despite having a $5.5 billion contingency fund. This potential cutoff could lead to "real distress" for millions of low-income households, according to Christopher Bosso, a professor of public policy and politics at Northeastern University, as noted by Northeastern University on October 27, 2025.

• Legal Challenges by States: Over two dozen states, including California, New York, and Massachusetts, have filed lawsuits against the USDA and Secretary Brooke Rollins. These states argue that the USDA is legally obligated to use its contingency funds to continue SNAP payments, citing federal spending laws and past precedents where such funds were utilized during shutdowns. A hearing on a temporary restraining order was scheduled for October 29, 2025, in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

• aei.org noted, Economic and Social Implications: The shutdown's economic impact extends beyond unpaid federal workers, affecting federal contractors who are not guaranteed back pay and disrupting businesses reliant on federal permits or loans. Socially, the halt of SNAP benefits could increase demand on already strained food banks and force vulnerable families to make difficult choices between food and other necessities, as highlighted by The Texas Tribune on October 28, 2025. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown caused $3 billion in permanent economic losses.

• Political Stalemate and Blame Game: The current shutdown is a result of a deep political divide between Republicans and Democrats over federal spending and healthcare provisions. Both parties are blaming each other for the impasse, with the Trump administration accusing Senate Democrats of prioritizing other issues over funding the government, and Democrats criticizing the administration for its handling of the contingency funds. This political maneuvering has left millions of Americans facing uncertainty and hardship.

• gvwire.com reported, Federal Employee Compensation and Furloughs: Approximately 1.4 million federal employees are affected by the shutdown, with many working without pay (excepted employees) and others furloughed (non-essential employees). While a 2019 law, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, guarantees back pay for federal employees once the shutdown ends, the immediate lack of wages creates significant financial stress. Civilian employees at various departments, including Defense and Health and Human Services, missed their first paychecks on October 24, 2025, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.