US Government Shutdown Highlights: Poll shows Donald Trump, GOP at bigger disadvantage among voters as gridlock drags

As per PTI, Vice-President JD Vance said, “Democrats say they care about lowering healthcare costs, but when President Trump took this action to work with drugs companies to lower prescription drug prices, the Democrats did not nothing to help us, in fact, we would have loved to have them helping us, but they talk about doing something, they don't actually do hard work to achieve, what they have done instead, is to shutdown the government...”

“The reason is despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Congressional Republicans and even a few moderate Democrats supported opening the government, the Chuck Schumer AOC wing of Democrat party shutdown the government because they said they will open the government, only if you give billions of dollars of funding for healthcare for illegal aliens, that's a ridiculous proposition... I would say let's have a discussion... We need to reopen the government,” he added.

“Democrats in Congress have officially shutdown the US government, House of Republicans passed a non-partisan clean piece of legislation to extend current government funding into November 21st, but nearly every single Democrat senator voted against this Bill. To be clear, it was the same Bill that Democrats approved six months ago, just adjusted for inflation. This is the same kind of funding bill, that Democrats passed 13 times, when they had majority,” US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, according to PTI.

She added, "Americans asked this morning, why shutdown? The answer is politics is being played by Democrat party, the Democrats shutdown the government because President Trump, Republicans won't force American taxpayers to pay for free healthcare for illegal aliens. America is in 37 trillion dollar debt... The Democrats refused to keep the government open, they jeopardised critical healthcare programme... The most vulnerable is being punished... The Trump administration is committed to lowering healthcare cost, but we need to keep the government open and funded..."

The White House announced that federal worker layoffs were approaching as a government shutdown loomed, driven by a tense funding dispute between President Donald Trump and Congressional Democrats, AFP reported.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the administration was "working with agencies across the board to identify where cuts can be made...and we believe that layoffs are imminent.

Trump's administration halted funding for key transportation projects in New York, home to the two highest-ranking Democrats in Congress, following through on a threat to use the government shutdown to pressure Democratic priorities, Reuters reported. This funding freeze occurred as the 15th federal shutdown since 1981 disrupted scientific research, financial regulation, environmental cleanup, and many other government functions.

An attempt to quickly resolve the government shutdown failed on Wednesday, as Senate Democrats stood their ground, insisting on funding for health care subsidies that Trump and Republican lawmakers have declined to support, PTI reported.

According to a Department of Defence statement, the 2 million U.S. military personnel will stay on duty without pay until the shutdown concludes.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be entirely staffed for five days, reported Reuters. However, However, it not clear that the IRS, which lost about a quarter of its staff this year and has 75,000 employees currently, will do if the shutdown lasts longer than five business days.

US President Donald Trump had earlier signalled that his administration would use the shutdown to carry out mass layoffs.

The US Department of Transfer (DOT) said it cannot resume project reimbursements until review is complete, adding that government shutdown has furloughed review staff

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The shutdown began hours after the Senate voted against a temporary funding bill intended to sustain government operations until November 21.

During a government shutdown, all non-essential services are suspended. Employees designated as exception workers, those involved in protecting life and property, remain on duty and continue working, but they do not receive their pay until the shutdown is over.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The US Department of Transportation states it cannot restart project reimbursements until the review is finished and the government shutdown has furloughed review staff, Reuters reported.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: US Vice President JD Vance said Republicans don’t want to “lay anybody off” amid the federal shutdown, asserting that Democrats would be held responsible for any negative consequences of the shutdown, reported Bloomberg.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The longest shutdown in US history lasted 35 days during Trump's first term in office.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The most recent US government shutdown occurred nearly seven years ago, in 2018, during President Trump's first term.

US government shutdown LIVE: The US Postal Service is typically not impacted by government shutdowns. In a statement issued earlier this week, the US Postal Service says all post offices will be open.

US government shutdown LIVE: Narrating his woes, an Air Force Officer told BBC: “I must still show up to work but won’t get paid, because if I don’t it’s considered AWOL.”

US government shutdown LIVE: Slamming the Democrats, JD Vance said: "You don't shut the government down, you don't take the government as a hostage, because you want to engage in an negotiation about healthcare costs."

US government shutdown LIVE: Democrats, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, demand that any stopgap funding measure include an extension of enhanced Obamacare tax credits.

US President Donald Trump had previously signalled that his administration will use the shut-down to carry out mass lay-offs

Earlier in the day, White House had confirmed the shutdown with a graphic, and labelled the funding lapse as ‘Democrat’ shutdown.

It is unclear how long a shutdown could last.

Economists have warned that pressure would mount to reopen the government if a stoppage lasted for two weeks – threatening missed paychecks because this is a typical US pay cycle.

As per the US Embassy, all scheduled passport and visa services at all consulates will continue.

European markets edged slightly higher during early morning deals. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was up 0.1% shortly after the opening bell, with sectors and major bourses pointing in opposite directions.

All workers who perform ‘essential services’ will continue to work. However, they will get their pay after the shutdown ends

According to CBS News, the following depts are furloughing the most staff: Department of Defense (civilian staff): 334,904 furloughed, 406,573 retained

Department of Health: 32,460 furloughed, 47,257 retained

Department of Commerce: 34,711 furloughed, 8,273 retained

Department of State: 16,651 furloughed, 10,344 retained

Nasa: 15,094 furloughed, 3,124 retained

Buzz about a border closure spiked after the shutdown. So far, there has been no official communication about the border between US and Canada being closed.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: Trump had suggested his administration would use the shutdown to conduct mass layoffs of federal workers beyond the temporary furloughs of an estimated 750,000 government employees, reported Bloomberg.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The closure of the federal government will curtail or halt some US climate disaster preparedness and environmental programs — and even potentially delay real estate transactions within the nation's flood zones.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: As a result of the shutdown, flight systems might ‘need to slow down, reducing efficiency,’ reported BBC, citing an airline representative of Airlines for America

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The last shutdown was during Trump's first term as the President in 2018. The US govt experienced a ‘partial’ shutdown that lasted 35 days.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: In a statement posted on its website earlier this week, the US Postal Service says all post offices will remain open for business as usual.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: All non-essential services are halted during a government shutdown. Here's the complete list for what's open and what's closed.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The shutdown commenced hours after the Senate rejected a short-term spending measure that would have kept government operations afloat through November 21.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: Law enforcement officers will continue to work through the government shutdown, as they fall under the category of 'essential' services. However, around 2 lakh employees will not be paid till the shutdown ends.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: While some fluctuations are expected, analysts believe the long-term effects will be minimal, with potential benefits for emerging markets like India amidst a weaker US dollar. Read here

US Government Shutdown LIVE: Democrats are demanding the renewal of expiring subsidies for Obamacare health insurance premiums, and also want to reverse Medicaid cuts included in Trump’s signature tax legislation passed earlier this year.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: Post offices will remain open as the US Postal Service does not depend on the Congress for funding, as per reports.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The last time the US government had shut down was nearly 7 years ago, during Trump's first term as the President in 2018.

Government Shutdown in the US LIVE: Members of Congress, whose pay is protected under the US Constitution, will receive their salaries. Excepted employees, i.e. those who perform work to protect life and property – stay on the job and continue to work, but do not get their pay until after the shutdown has ended.

Government Shutdown in the US LIVE: Air traffic control and Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) workers are considered "essential" - so it will continue to work. However, flight systems need to 'slow down down,' reported BBC.

US Government Shutdown LIVE: The dollar sank to a one-week low against major currencies amid the US government shutdown that unsettled markets and threatened to delay key jobs data

US Government Shutdown LIVE: As of now, there is now confirmation on when the government will reopen. Economists have warned that pressure would mount to reopen the government if a stoppage lasted for two weeks -- threatening missed paychecks because this is a typical US pay cycle.