U.S. Government Shutdown Extends into Second Week: Impacts and Implications

The US government shutdown entered its second week Wednesday as Congress remains deadlocked and the House of Representatives stays closed. President Trump is now threatening mass layoffs of federal employees and refusing to guarantee back pay for those affected, marking a significant shift from longstanding government policy during shutdowns.

Around 750,000 federal workers have been temporarily furloughed without clear answers about when they'll get paid. This breaks from how previous shutdowns were handled, where employees typically received their missed wages once the government reopened.

Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont tried to push for negotiations Tuesday evening, saying "You have to negotiate... that's the way to reach a solution." But there are no active talks happening between the Trump administration and Democrats, at least not publicly.

The shutdown centers on disagreements over federal funding, but health care has become another sticking point. Senate Republicans and Democrats have been discussing options to address health insurance problems. Trump himself hinted he's open to negotiating with Democrats on their demands to save health care subsidies.

Earlier this week, Trump said talks were already underway because he wants "excellent health care" for Americans. But he insists the government must reopen first before any serious negotiations can happen.

The White House distributed a memo this week warning that back pay for furloughed workers isn't guaranteed. This represents a major policy change that could affect hundreds of thousands of federal employees who are already struggling without their regular paychecks.

With no clear end in sight, the economic impact grows daily. Federal agencies remain partially closed, government services are disrupted, and uncertainty continues to build around when normal operations might resume. The longer this drags on, the more it affects everything from national parks to federal loan processing.