WASHINGTON D.C., 13 October (H.S.): United States Vice President JD Vance has issued a stark warning of more painful and deeper job cuts to come if the federal government shutdown is not resolved, as the political impasse in Washington enters its third week with no end in sight.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are already on unpaid leave, and the Trump administration has begun a wave of permanent layoffs.The shutdown, which began on October 1, was triggered by a deadlock between Republicans and Democrats over a short-term funding bill .
Democrats have refused to pass the budget without an extension of federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, a provision Republicans oppose .
The longer this goes on, the deeper the cuts are going to be, Vance told Fox News, blaming Democrats for the stalemate.The effects of the shutdown are escalating. The Trump administration announced on Friday that more than 4,000 federal workers across seven agencies, including the CDC, would be laid off.
While some of the layoff notices at the CDC were later rescinded after being sent in error, the move signals a significant escalation from temporary furloughs .
In the nation’s capital, several Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo closed on Sunday as their funding ran out.The political rhetoric remains heated, with no new congressional vote scheduled to reopen the government. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona accused Republicans of deliberately punishing people by refusing to negotiate on the health insurance subsidies. Conversely, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated he would not vote to extend the subsidies, reinforcing his party’s position.
Amidst the furloughs, President Trump has directed the Department of Defense to ensure military personnel continue to receive their pay. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon will reallocate approximately $8 billion from research and development funds to cover military wages if the shutdown persists.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
