US federal government enters twelfth day of shutdown

The United States federal government has entered its twelfth day of shutdown today, with Congress failing to pass funding legislation for the fiscal year that began on 1 October.

The impasse stems from disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over spending priorities, including extensions to Affordable Care Act tax credits and rescissions of prior appropriations. President Donald Trump directs agencies to issue reduction-in-force notices to federal workers in unfunded programmes, while Senate votes on competing bills continue to fail. The shutdown affects 800,000 federal employees through furloughs, and essential staff in transportation and security roles report to work without pay.

Air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration face staffing shortages, leading to ground stops at airports including Chicago O’Hare, Nashville International, and Reagan Washington National. The Department of Transportation records an increase in sick calls among the 13,000 controllers required to work during the lapse, resulting in delays that affect thousands of flights daily. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy states that the agency slows takeoffs at affected facilities to maintain operations, though training for 2,000 new hires halts. The Regional Airline Association notes that the Essential Air Service programme, which subsidises flights to rural areas, exhausts funds by 12 October, potentially cancelling hundreds of daily routes and impacting 17,000 jobs.

Transportation Security Administration officers screen passengers at airports without interruption, but the agency furloughs support staff, which contributes to longer queues at security checkpoints. The U.S. Travel Association reports that disruptions to air travel alone account for €920 million in weekly losses to airlines and related sectors. Amtrak trains operate on existing funds, and the United States Postal Service continues services unaffected by the funding gap. Visa processing at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services proceeds via fee revenues, though the E-Verify system for employment authorisation pauses.

National parks across the country operate with reduced staff, as the National Park Service furloughs two-thirds of its 14,000 employees. Visitor centres, campgrounds, and ferries close at sites including the Everglades, Fort Sumter, and Cabrillo National Monument, while roads and trails remain accessible in many locations. Gates at Mesa Verde National Park shut to vehicles, forcing visitors to walk in where possible. The National Parks Conservation Association estimates that parks turn away 1 million visitors per day in October, with entrance fees generating €368,000 daily that now go uncollected. Maintenance ceases at Grand Canyon and Death Valley, where rangers provide no updates on road or trail conditions except in emergencies.

Local economies near parks report revenue shortfalls from closed facilities. In Colorado, eight fee-collecting sites including Rocky Mountain National Park rely on state agreements to remain open until funds deplete. The shutdown echoes the 2018-2019 lapse, during which trash accumulated and off-road damage occurred at unattended sites like Joshua Tree. Park partners and concessioners face losses from cancelled tours and lodging bookings.

The tourism sector sustains €920 million in weekly damage from combined effects on aviation, parks, and attractions. Inbound international visits drop 6.3 per cent year-on-year to 67.9 million, as foreign travellers cancel plans amid uncertainty. The U.S. Travel Association projects that prolonged closure of Smithsonian museums after 6 October will compound impacts, with peak corporate travel season coinciding with the Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday weekend. States including Louisiana, California, Washington, and Alaska register the highest losses, as small businesses in gateway communities see bookings decline. Geoff Freeman, president of the U.S. Travel Association, states that the sector loses €920 million each week from flight delays, park closures, and infrastructure delays.

Negotiations in the Senate adjourn until Tuesday, with no agreement in sight. House Speaker Mike Johnson extends the chamber’s recess, while Democrats demand healthcare provisions in any funding bill. Federal credit unions offer loans to furloughed workers, and military personnel receive pay on 15 October from redirected Department of Defense funds. The Office of Management and Budget directs agencies to prioritise essential functions, but the shutdown persists without resolution.