The federal government is still shut down. Here's what that means across the country

"Many federal workers have missed paychecks, including air traffic controllers, who are working unpaid. One air traffic controller is warning over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday season we could see "the worst day of travel in the history of flight" if the shutdown doesn't end soon. Meanwhile, the fate of federal food and nutrition benefits like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, previously known as food stamps, has been uncertain since they expired on Saturday."

"On Monday, the Trump administration said it will restart SNAP food benefits but it will pay out only half the amount people normally get. But it's still not clear how soon that money will get to those who rely on it as states increasingly report it could take weeks to get the federal money onto the debit-like EBT cards. More on SNAP funding and what communities are doing to fill the SNAP lapse gap, here."

"Why did the federal government shut down? It started as a fight over health care -- specifically expiring subsidies for health insurance premiums purchased on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Some 24 million people who don't have insurance through their jobs or a public program like Medicaid use the system to buy health plans. Prominent Republican lawmakers have claimed the Democrats are looking to provide tax dollars to help pay for the health care of undocumented immigrants."

The federal government remains shut down, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Many federal workers have missed paychecks, including air traffic controllers who are working unpaid and warning of potential travel chaos over Thanksgiving. SNAP benefits expired but the administration announced a restart at half the normal amount, while states report it could take weeks to load funds onto EBT cards. The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices to help farmers access $3 billion in aid. Farmers report being hurt by trade policies and face financial strain. The shutdown originated in a dispute over ACA premium subsidies and failed short-term funding legislation.

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