Following Congress’ failure to pass the annual appropriations bill on Oct. 1, the federal government has been shut down for 35 days. This shutdown has now surpassed the shutdown during President Donald Trump’s first term, making it the longest in history. Since the federal government has ceased its operations, Congress has failed 13 times to pass a spending bill to end the shutdown.
Democrats in the Senate are refusing to vote to pass a spending bill due to the lack of an extension for expiring Affordable Care Act credits and a desire to reverse the Medicaid funding cuts in Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill. Republicans argue that they want to pass a clean resolution funding bill to end the shutdown and that negotiations for healthcare subsidies can occur after.
Services available to Texans have struggled to keep up as the shutdown continues, with the lack of funding starting to take its toll.
As of 2024, there are over 200,000 federal workers in Texas, including military personnel employed by the Department of Defense. Many federal workers have been furloughed or going without pay during the shutdown.
Texas airport staff missed their first full paychecks on Oct. 28, leading to a shortage of workers as some called out of work. The absence of staff has caused delays in several large airports.
On Nov. 1, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were set to go undistributed to recipients, affecting the 3.5 million Texans and 300,000 Bexar County residents who rely on these benefits.
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from withholding SNAP benefits on Oct. 31. The ruling ordered the administration to pay the food stamp benefits from emergency funds “as soon as possible.”
“There is no doubt — and it is beyond argument — that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn’t already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family,” Judge Jack McConnell said in the ruling.
In response to the ruling, Trump said his administration’s lawyers were unsure if they had the legal authority to hand out the SNAP benefits.
“If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport issued a ground stop and delay on Oct. 27. This is not the first ground delay the airport has issued two others earlier in October. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport also experienced inbound delays this past week. So far, the San Antonio International Airport has not faced significant delays.
Events scheduled to occur in Texas have also been postponed after the federal government shutdown.
The inaugural Texas Capital Air Show, originally scheduled for Nov. 1-2, was postponed to late 2026 because of the shutdown’s effect on military participation.
“We have determined that we will be unable to give our great fans, and our Veterans and First Responders the kind of air show you deserve,” the Texas Capital Air Show team announced.
Similarly, Houston’s first Fleet Week, a week dedicated to celebrating the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the Coast Guard, was also postponed.
“I want the city’s first Fleet Week to be an exceptional experience for everyone. The date changes help to ensure we have the time and resources to plan an extraordinary event,” Houston Mayor John Whitmore commented when announcing the postponement.
Originally scheduled for Nov. 5-12, the event will now take place in November 2026.
Until Congress passes the annual appropriations bill, the shutdown will continue to have adverse effects on Texans’ daily lives.
