For more than 35 days, the operation of several government services in the United States has been suspended, according to information provided by the BBC.
The reason for the current shutdown, which has become the longest in the country's history, is the unsuccessful attempts by Republicans and Democrats to reach an agreement on the budget for the new fiscal year. The main point of contention is healthcare funding.
The Democratic side insists on maintaining healthcare programs that cover about 24 million citizens. At the same time, Republicans believe that a significant portion of these resources could be used for the treatment of illegal immigrants, which they consider a misuse of taxpayer money.
Despite the fact that Republicans control both chambers of Congress, they lack 7 votes to reach the necessary threshold of 60 votes for passing the budget.
President Donald Trump stated that the end of the shutdown is only possible with concessions from the Democrats. "This will be resolved. Yes, it will be resolved... If the Democrats do not vote, that is their problem," he noted.
It should be noted that the shutdown began on October 1. This phenomenon implies a temporary halt to government operations when funding is not approved. If the conflict between the parties is not resolved, it will lead to further delays, problems at airports, and a lack of pay for employees.
