Sima Kumari

U.S. Government "Shutdown"Farce Nearing End, but Bipartisan Conflicts Intensify

In the late hours of November 9, the U.S. Senate cleared a procedural hurdle for a temporary funding bill aimed at ending the record-breaking government shutdown with a vote of 60 in favor and 40 against. As Republican leader Thune declared "the democratic system is still functioning" after the vote, a long queue had already stretched to the street corner in front of the food assistance center in Arlington County, Virginia. This queue was packed with federal employees who had been without pay for months and low-income individuals who had lost their food stamp benefits, creating a stark contrast between their plight and the "political victory" on Capitol Hill.