Longest US government shutdown enters seventh week, halting services and flights

The United States government shutdown entered its seventh week on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, after 38 days of funding lapses that have disrupted federal programs, air travel and economic forecasts. Republican leaders in Congress have pressed for a stopgap measure to keep agencies running, but Senate maneuvers have repeatedly failed to attract the 60 votes needed to advance legislation. President Donald Trump’s administration pursued a temporary suspension of certain food-aid payments — a move blocked by a federal court — while the Federal Aviation Administration reduced commercial flight schedules after weeks of unpaid work by air-traffic controllers. The impasse has produced mounting cancellations and economic estimates that show measurable damage to growth and household budgets.

Key takeaways

• The shutdown began on 1 October 2025 and reached 38 days by 7 November 2025, making it the longest in U.S. history.
• FlightAware recorded about 800 U.S.-linked cancellations as of Friday morning, after the FAA reduced flight capacity citing unpaid controller labor.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune has brought the chamber to a cloture vote 14 times and signaled a 15th vote; only three minority senators have backed the House-approved funding bill so far.
• Democrats insist any short-term funding include an extension of ACA premium tax credits that expire at year-end; KFF projects a roughly 26% average rise in premiums for enrollees if credits lapse.
• Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, estimated the shutdown will cut GDP growth in the current quarter by about half, with some recovery possible if the government reopens and workers receive backpay.
• The White House explored pausing certain food-assistance payments for the first time, but a court order prevented implementation.
• Political momentum after recent off-year Democratic wins has hardened party resolve and shaped messaging from both sides heading into further negotiation attempts.

Background

The shutdown followed the failure to pass continuing appropriations before funding lapsed on 1 October 2025. Although Republicans control the House and Senate, Senate procedure generally requires 60 votes to advance most spending measures, forcing GOP leaders to seek at least some Democratic support. Democrats have used that leverage to press for policy riders and temporary extensions tied to popular programs, most notably tax credits that subsidize Affordable Care Act insurance premiums.

Historically, shutdowns have varied in length and impact; this episode surpasses previous records and arrives amid a polarized political climate and fragile economic indicators. Federal agencies have operated with a mix of furloughed employees and essential staff working without pay, a pattern that strains service delivery and morale. The combination of operational disruptions and high-publicity court fights has elevated the shutdown into a prominent national story with clear policy and political stakes.

Main event

In recent days Senate Majority Leader John Thune took repeated procedural steps to force cloture and move a House-passed continuing-resolution measure that would fund government operations through 21 November. Thune has acknowledged multiple failed efforts — 14 votes to date — and planned a 15th vote on Friday, aiming to secure bipartisan support for either a full reopening or targeted payroll relief for working federal employees.

Democrats have consistently rebuffed the GOP proposal unless it includes an extension of the tax credits that reduce ACA premiums. Party leaders argue that allowing the credits to expire at year-end would sharply raise out-of-pocket costs for millions; the Kaiser Family Foundation’s analysis shows an average premium increase of about 26% for people covered by those plans if the credits lapse.

The White House sought to pause payments under a key federal nutrition program — an unprecedented step — but that effort was halted by a court order, leaving benefits intact for now. Meanwhile, the FAA announced reductions to commercial air traffic capacity after citing the cumulative effect of weeks of unpaid work by controllers; FlightAware tallied roughly 800 cancellations connected to U.S. routes by Friday morning.

President Trump has publicly weighed denying backpay for furloughed workers, a politically charged suggestion that aides say remains under discussion. At the same time he urged Republicans to consider eliminating the Senate filibuster — a procedural barrier that would lower the 60-vote threshold for most legislation — arguing it would secure long-term partisan advantage if changed.

Analysis & implications

Politically, the shutdown is reshaping incentives for both parties. Democrats point to recent state-level victories as validation for a harder line, while some Republicans fear electoral backlash from prolonged service interruptions and visible economic pain. If public opinion consolidates around shared grievances — lost paychecks and disrupted travel — GOP leaders may face growing pressure to modify strategy before 21 November.

Economically, the shutdown’s immediate costs are concrete: canceled flights, paused contracts, delayed regulatory actions and reduced consumer confidence. The National Economic Council’s estimate that GDP growth could be cut roughly in half this quarter is a near-term projection; the scale of recovery in the next quarter hinges on the timing of reopening and the size and speed of backpay distributions to furloughed workers.

Policy-wise, the ACA premium tax-credit dispute ties a short-term funding fight to longer-term entitlement politics. Allowing credits to expire would not only raise premiums but also complicate enrollment dynamics and state budgets that interact with federal subsidies. A negotiated, time-limited extension might resolve the immediate stalemate but leave unresolved questions about funding mechanisms and offsets.

Procedurally, proposals to eliminate or weaken the filibuster would rewrite Senate dynamics and lower the threshold for passing contentious measures. Short of such a change, repeated cloture failures suggest continued stalemate unless bipartisan compromises or alternative congressional strategies emerge.

Comparison & data

These figures show immediate operational effects and the political arithmetic behind repeated votes. The shutdown’s duration and the size of cancelled flights are measurable harms; macroeconomic estimates are model-based and sensitive to reopening timing.

Reactions & quotes

Senate leadership framed the votes as choices between reopening and continued stalemate; supporters of the House bill argued it would restore paychecks and services quickly if it could reach 60 votes. Critics said the proposal failed to address Democrats’ demands on health-cost relief.

“We’re going to give them a chance to vote later today on paying people who are working,”

John Thune, Senate Majority Leader (Republican)

Thune used the statement to characterize an upcoming procedural vote as aimed at restoring pay to federal employees who remain on duty. He sought to portray the motion as a practical step while urging Democrats to back the House plan.

“If Republicans kill the filibuster, they sail to victory for many years to come,”

Donald J. Trump, President (Truth Social post)

The president publicly advocated changing Senate rules to avoid repeated 60-vote thresholds, tying procedural reform to political strategy. Thune and other GOP senators have so far rejected attempts to eliminate the filibuster.

“Americans plagued by high costs fired a political torpedo this week at Donald Trump and Republicans,”

Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader (Democrat)

Schumer cited the party’s off-year successes as evidence that voters support Democrats’ negotiating posture and warned Republicans about the political risks of appearing obstructive during an extended shutdown.

Unconfirmed

• Whether the White House will ultimately refuse retroactive pay for furloughed workers remains unresolved and was discussed but not finalized.
• No legislation to permanently alter filibuster rules has been formally introduced; any change would face procedural hurdles and intra-party dissent.
• Estimates that much of the lost GDP will be made up next quarter depend on a reopening timetable and the speed of backpay delivery and are therefore provisional.

Bottom line

The 38-day shutdown has produced tangible operational disruptions — notably in commercial aviation and nutrition programs — and has intensified political calculations on both sides. With only temporary funding proposals on the table and a 60-vote Senate rule still in place, short-term relief depends on whether either party yields or a narrow bipartisan cohort emerges.

Economically, near-term growth projections show measurable drag; politically, recent state-level results and public sentiment about high costs have hardened messaging and raised the stakes of continued intransigence. Watch for the scheduled 15th cloture vote and for any court or administrative rulings that could alter benefits or payroll outcomes in the coming days.

Sources

• The Guardian — Media report summarizing congressional votes and national reaction (news).
• FlightAware — Private flight-tracking service cited for cancellation counts (industry data).
• Kaiser Family Foundation — Health-policy analysis on ACA premium impacts (research/nonprofit).
• The White House — Official statements and briefings referenced for administration positions (official).