Overview

• Hundreds of thousands of non‑essential federal employees remain furloughed without pay, and more than two million could see wages deferred if the closure persists.
• Senate Republicans failed to reach the 60‑vote threshold for a stopgap bill, with leader John Thune calling the negotiations deadlocked.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned the lapse could hit GDP and slow overall growth.
• The White House has frozen infrastructure projects in Democratic‑led states and has threatened to eliminate federal agencies as pressure tactics.
• Air travel may face delays and cancellations as security screeners and air traffic control staffing strains grow during the shutdown.