Optimism from US Senators of ending government shutdown
發佈日期: 2025-11-04 20:52
TVB News
US President Donald Trump's administration said it will partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP for November,after two judges issued rulings requiring the government to keep the nation's largest food aid programme running.
This as the first glimmers toward ending a near-record long federal government shutdown were seen in the Capitol on Monday.
Top Senate Democrats and Republicans took to the floor of the Senate to debate the federal government's SNAP food assistance programme, after the Trump administration said it will partially fund it, even though courts ruled that everyone can receive full benefits.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: "A few hours ago the administration announced that it will provide only partial SNAP benefits to 42 million Americans facing food insecurity,
even though the courts affirm that the USDA has the transfer authority to ensure everyone can receive full benefits. Everyone can get full benefits, the only person standing in the way is Donald Trump. Donald Trump! Even after the courts have spoken, the administration continues to use kids, seniors, disabled Americans, and working parents as political pawns,
dangling the threat of hunger over their heads."
Senate Majority Whip and Republican Representative for Wyoming John Barrasso said: "Democrats shut down this government. Democrats have voted against reopening the government 13 times. Democrats are holding food assistance for 42 million Americans hostage, and they're going to do it again tomorrow, they're doing it tonight."
Meanwhile the government shutdown has dragged on for over a month and shortages of air traffic controllers are straining operations with flight disruptions piling up across the country.
In Houston, travellers wait in long security lines as flights are delayed or cancelled.
Traveller Anush Devkar said: "It's been a bit of like a hassle. My parents who are working right now too, they're missing their work right now. Me who has school right now,
I'm missing school. And so it is very tedious and it's a bit of a problem."
Even as the two parties continue to blame each other, when asked about the prospects of ending the shutdown Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune
told reporters, "I'm optimistic." Adding, "based on my gut of how these things operate I think we're getting close to an off-ramp here."
