In Washington, the federal government shutdown has entered its 14th day. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is warning that this could be the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The Senate is expected to vote today for the eighth time to fully fund the federal government, and Senate Democrats say they won’t approve new spending until Republicans agree to extend expiring healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. The shutdown has caused flight delays, shut off access to national parks, closed taxpayers’ helplines at the IRS and impacted the permitting process at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department. Military personnel and their families have increasingly turned to food pantries to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, several airports across the country are refusing to air a video PSA of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown and resulting flight delays. A spokesperson for Portland International Airport told The Washington Post, “We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging.”