The shutdown clock is ticking, and the most critical deadline yet is fast approaching: the next scheduled payday for US military personnel. The failure of the Senate on Wednesday to pass a funding bill has pushed the government dangerously close to this deadline, transforming the political standoff into a race against time.
With each passing day, the consequences of the shutdown have grown, from furloughed federal workers to disruptions in air travel. However, the failure to pay the nation’s soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines would represent a new level of crisis, with potential impacts on national security and the economic stability of hundreds of thousands of families.
This ticking clock has so far failed to spur action. The two parties remain locked in a dispute over the Democratic demand to include Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies in any funding bill. Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, continue to insist on a “clean” bill, and the impasse is absolute.
The White House added to the tension by initially questioning back pay for workers, and Speaker Johnson has inflamed the situation with personal attacks on his Democratic counterparts. This toxic environment is not conducive to a speedy resolution.
As the shutdown clock ticks closer to the military payday, the pressure on Congress to find a solution will become immense. The question is whether they can defuse the bomb before it goes off, or if their political brinkmanship will lead to a direct hit on the nation’s armed forces.