U.S. Shutdown Nears Historic Record as Funding Standoff Deepens

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The United States is on the brink of setting a new record for the longest government shutdown in its history, as the funding impasse between Republicans and Democrats enters its 34th day with no resolution in sight.

President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Democrats to drop their demand for expanded healthcare subsidies and instead support a Republican-backed temporary funding bill. The proposed measure would reopen the government while maintaining current spending levels and allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to be distributed.

Trump emphasized that reopening federal operations could happen immediately if Democrats agreed to the plan. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said, “If they vote to open up the country, it’s opened up immediately, we don’t even have to think about that.”

The administration has faced criticism for the suspension of food assistance during the shutdown, with courts ruling that the government must find a way to distribute benefits. Officials argued that contingency funds were insufficient to sustain the program through November.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the administration of “weaponizing hunger” and reaffirmed Democrats’ willingness to negotiate a bipartisan deal. “We’re asking Republicans to sit down any time, any place, anywhere, to find a path that actually makes life better for the American people,” Jeffries said in a television interview.

Trump maintained that he was open to discussions on fixing the Affordable Care Act once the government reopens. Democrats, however, have insisted that additional subsidies must be part of any spending agreement to offset rising healthcare premiums.

The president also renewed his push for the Senate to abolish the filibuster, a move that many in his own party oppose. While Republicans hold a majority with 53 seats, 60 votes are required to pass major legislation. “The Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump said, signaling little change in the partisan standoff that has left key government operations frozen for over a month.

Nancy Pelosi to Retire, Closing a Historic Chapter in American Politics

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Eric Luse/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the most powerful lawmakers in modern history, announced Thursday that she will retire from Congress after nearly four decades of service. The decision comes two years after she stepped down from party leadership, marking the end of an era for Democratic politics.

Pelosi, 85, leaves behind a legacy defined by landmark legislation, fierce partisanship, and a groundbreaking ascent to power. Representing San Francisco since 1987, she was at the center of some of the most consequential moments in recent American history, helping steer the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama and major climate and infrastructure bills under President Joe Biden.

“I was able to represent our city and our country around the world with patriotism and pride,” Pelosi said in a farewell video. “There has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco.’”

Even in her later years, Pelosi remained a formidable influence within the Democratic Party, advising colleagues through political upheaval and urging Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Her retirement underscores a generational shift within the party as several senior Democrats, including longtime allies, also prepare to step aside.

Pelosi’s departure opens a rare contest for her coveted San Francisco seat. State Senator Scott Wiener and former congressional aide Saikat Chakrabarti have already announced campaigns, signaling an intense primary ahead.

Throughout her career, Pelosi combined sharp political instincts with unyielding discipline, guiding Democrats through the Iraq War debates, financial crises, and two impeachments of Donald Trump. To supporters, she was a master legislator who shattered political barriers for women. To critics, she became a symbol of Washington’s entrenched liberal elite.

Her retirement closes a defining chapter in congressional history, leaving an indelible mark on American politics and the generations of women who followed her path to power.

Trump Signs Bill Reopening Government as 43-Day Shutdown Ends

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Win McNamee/Getty Images

President Donald Trump on Wednesday night signed into law legislation that reopens the federal government and ends the longest shutdown in American history, a 43-day stalemate that disrupted services and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid.

The move followed House passage of the spending measure by a 222-209 vote, with six Democrats joining nearly all Republicans in approving the package. Two Republicans voted against the bill. The Senate had advanced the same legislation earlier in the week, with eight Democrats crossing party lines to break a filibuster and end the shutdown. In a White House address, Trump attributed the stalemate to Democrats, urging Americans not to forget who he said bore responsibility as the midterms approach.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., led the Republican-controlled House back into session for the first time since Sept. 19, calling the moment a relief while directing sharp criticism at Democrats for what he described as a futile and costly paralysis. He highlighted the impact on families, travel, and federal workers awaiting pay.

The package funds the government through Sept. 30, 2024, in a three-bill “minibus” and maintains current funding levels through Jan. 30. It includes full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), shielding more than 40 million Americans who rely on food assistance through September. The bill also provides back pay and preserves federal employee positions through January, addressing furloughs and other disruptions from the shutdown.

A notable concession to Democrats is the absence of an extension for enhanced ACA subsidies beyond 2025, a point of contention that could affect premiums for more than 20 million Americans next year. Senate Republican leaders signaled plans for a separate ACA funding vote, though House leadership did not guarantee a correspondent action.

Among lawmakers, the debate underscored tensions over health care funding and affordability. Progressive voices criticized the deal, while Republicans framed the agreement as a necessary step to stabilize government operations and avoid a broader fiscal crisis.

As the administration braces for ongoing policy fights ahead of the midterms, Democrats argued the shutdown crystallized the distinction between their push to lower costs and Republican fiscal choices, a message Democrats say will energize their base in 2026.