The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1, marking the second-longest shutdown in American history. This is the third government shutdown under a Trump presidency.

Government shutdowns have become a somewhat normalized part of American governance. Their circumstances often vary, but the solution is always the same: Congress must appropriate the funding for the federal government.

At the heart of the current shutdown is a disagreement over healthcare: Democrats want to extend Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies granted during COVID-19, while Republicans, with the Trump-Vance administration at the helm, argue these subsidies should expire to save money. The standoff has left millions at risk of losing coverage because they otherwise won’t be able to afford it.

As Congr

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