Washington. The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended on Wednesday. The shutdown broke President Donald Trump’s record of 35 days in office. The government has been frozen since Congress failed to pass the budget by September 30. This has seriously affected the daily lives of the people from federal agencies to the general public.

Millions of Americans are struggling to get much-needed food and assistance as government programs come to a standstill. More than 1.4 million federal employees — from air traffic controllers to national park wardens — are working without pay or are forced to furlough.

Even before breaking the record at midnight, the Trump administration had warned that air service could be completely disrupted in the next seven days. The shortage of staff has led to long queues and possible flight cancellations at the country’s major airports.

“If the Democrats don’t find a solution now, we’re going to have nationwide air chaos within a week,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a news conference in Philadelphia. ’

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 5.8 million people are expected to fly by air this year on Thanksgiving — a new record. However, more than 60,000 air traffic controllers and transport security officers are at risk of being affected due to continuous work without pay.

In 2019, mass sick leave for airline employees was crucial in ending a similar shutdown. The main reason for the shutdown is health care costs. Democrats are insisting that they will agree on a budget only after the health insurance subsidies for millions of Americans expire. But Republicans are pushing for the government to resume work now, on the condition that health issues can be addressed later.

However, in recent days, some centrist lawmakers have shown signs of reconciliation. Four representatives of the two parties unveiled a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday aimed at reducing health insurance costs.

Democrats hope Republicans will be forced to compromise after Americans face rising premiums as they try to get health insurance for the new year. But President Trump seems to be adamant. In an interview with CBS News, he said, “I am not in favor of coercion. ’

The Trump administration, which uses the shutdown as a means of pressuring its political opponents, has issued a warning that federal workers will not be paid. It has also been accused of trying to cut back on progressive policies.

The courts have blocked some measures, but the administration has repeated its threat to block funding that would help 42 million Americans buy groceries under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

However, the White House later clarified that the government was fully complying with its legal obligations and was working to provide partial aid as soon as possible. ’