US Federal Employees Broke, Families Running Out Of Food Aid In Second Month Of Govt Shutdown

Last Updated:November 01, 2025, 19:11 IST

The US government shutdown entered its second month as the Republicans and Democrats remained at odds over health insurance premiums.

Food aid programmes are running out of funds as the US government shutdown continues. (Reuters/File)

Federal workers in the United States are going broke, food aid is under threat, and millions of Americans are affected, as the government shutdown enters its second month amid a prolonged standoff between Democrats and Republicans over federal funding.

Since the shutdown came into force on October 1, the Trump administration has slashed jobs in education, health and other areas that were supported by Democrats. The White House has announced one reduction in force affecting 4,100 workers, with the biggest cuts happening at the departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services, Education and Housing and Urban Development.

Republicans have warned that millions of people will begin to feel the full force of the shutdown for the first time this weekend amid unresolved fights over funding for health care and food stamps. Democrats have refused to reopen the government without a deal to extend insurance subsidies that make healthcare subsidies affordable for 20 million Americans, set to expire on Saturday.

Food Aid Badly Hit

The White House has moved money around to ensure the military is paid, but refuses to tap funds for food aid. President Donald Trump had earlier delivered the most substantial cut ever to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme, known as SNAP, which helps 42 million low-income Americans buy groceries.

The programme is set to run out of funds this weekend, despite a federal judge ordering the White House on Friday to use emergency funds to pay for food stamps during the shutdown. The administration has argued that it cannot legally tap that fund, and it remains unclear if Americans would get their weekend SNAP payments.

“We are looking at all the options," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNN when asked if she would comply with a judge’s order to release the money.

Furthermore, WIC, a food aid programme for pregnant women, new mothers and infants, is also affected, while “Head Start" programmes that provide nutrition and family support to 65,000 infants could begin shuttering from Saturday.

With uncertainty over food stamps giving Americans heartburn, communities have begun banding together to help vulnerable neighbours. Kerry Chausmer, 55, told AFP that she was buying groceries for two local families in need – at a personal cost likely to total at least $200. “We’re failing, and I am honestly despondent and embarrassed to be an American," she said.

Unpaid Salaries, Air Travel Hit

The government shutdown has continued as Democrats have maintained they will not agree to any deal without assurances on extending health insurance subsidies, while Republicans have refused to move forward unless those demands are withdrawn. Trump has blamed Democrats for prolonging the crisis.

According to CNN, White House staffers have received a notice that they will not receive their next paychecks scheduled for October 31, their first missed paycheck since the crisis broke out. “Due to the lapse in appropriations, the Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) Office of Payroll and Benefits has no authority to pay salaries until an appropriations continuing resolution or a Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill is signed into law," the notice states.

Furthermore, the government shutdown has led to severe flight disruptions across the nation due to a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCs). New York airports, John F Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia are all under restrictions due in part to reduced staffing at control towers.

A ground stop was in effect at JFK until mid-afternoon on Saturday, with delays clocking in at 60 to 100 minutes. Delays above three hours were expected at Newark, while some passengers were bracing to be held up by as much as five hours at LaGuardia, according to AFP.

Earlier this week, the Senate Democrats blocked the House-passed bill to reopen the federal government for the 13th time. Trump repeated his pledge to sit down with Democrats over their demands, but only after the shutdown is over.

(with inputs from agencies)

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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