Sen. John Fetterman Apologizes on Behalf of Senate Democrats for Failure to End Government Shutdown
Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) issued a public apology on Thursday, addressing Senate Democrats’ failure to end the ongoing government shutdown, which has now entered its fourth week. In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Fetterman voiced his deep frustration over the current situation, highlighting the devastating impact the shutdown is having on millions of Americans.
Specifically, Fetterman expressed particular concern over the plight of federal workers, many of whom remain unpaid as the shutdown drags on. The senator also pointed to the looming expiration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps, which is set to affect around 42 million people if the shutdown continues without resolution.
“It’s a shame,” Fetterman said, acknowledging the failure of his party to come to an agreement. “I’m sorry for what’s happening. We can’t even get our act together to open up the government.”
The government shutdown, which began over a month ago, has led to a complete breakdown in negotiations between Republicans and Senate Democrats over a spending bill that would fund the government for the new fiscal year. This ongoing impasse has led to widespread disruptions, particularly affecting essential services like SNAP, which many low-income families rely on to feed their children.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that, unless the shutdown is resolved soon, millions of American families could lose access to SNAP benefits. The new funding for SNAP, which was supposed to be distributed on November 1, has been put on hold as Congress remains deadlocked.
Fetterman, who is deeply connected to his community back home in Pennsylvania, explained that he will be directly witnessing the fallout from the SNAP lapse once he returns to his state. “I’ll see it firsthand,” he said. “My wife, Giselle, runs a local initiative called the Free Store. It distributes food three times a week, and already, the lines are growing longer. Starting this Saturday, I’m going to meet people who have no SNAP benefits left, and I have no good explanation to give them.”
This local, grassroots experience has shaped Fetterman’s perspective on the shutdown. He sees the real, tangible consequences of the deadlock, and he’s deeply frustrated with the lack of progress. As he spoke to CNN, he expressed his profound disappointment that both sides couldn’t come together to open the government and end the suffering of the American people.
“It’s an absolute failure. The way we’ve handled this over the last month has been disastrous,” he said. “And now, things are really going to hit hard. Imagine being a parent with children — struggling to fill your fridge, wondering how you’re going to feed your kids and send them to school when everything you’ve relied on is suddenly taken away because we can’t get it together to open the government.”
Fetterman, who has consistently voted in favor of a continuing resolution — a measure that would fund and reopen the government — also criticized his own party for failing to negotiate a deal with the Republican majority. He voiced frustration over the seeming inability to reach a simple agreement that would allow the government to reopen and allow workers to return to their jobs.
“If we can’t even get this simple thing done — if we can’t reopen the government and pay our workers — then our party has bigger problems than I thought,” Fetterman said. “It’s not that complicated. We should be paying people, we should be opening the government. But we’re here, with people borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars to pay their own bills because they haven’t been paid. That’s just wrong.”
His comments struck a chord with many Americans who are experiencing firsthand the hardships of a prolonged government shutdown. From furloughed workers to families relying on SNAP benefits, the lack of progress in Washington has caused widespread anxiety and anger.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has blamed former President Donald Trump for the government shutdown. In a video posted to social media on Wednesday, Schumer called Trump “vindictive and heartless” for cutting off vital services like SNAP during the shutdown.
“Never before in American history has a president cut off SNAP during a shutdown,” Schumer said. “And now Trump is manufacturing a hunger crisis to score political points, all while refusing to fix healthcare.”
Schumer’s remarks are rooted in his longstanding criticism of Trump’s approach to governance, especially during times of national crisis. Schumer claims that Trump’s actions are exacerbating the suffering of ordinary Americans, particularly those dependent on government assistance programs.
However, the blame for the shutdown lies squarely with Congress, as it is responsible for drafting, passing, and funding government spending bills. While Trump’s actions have been criticized, it is Congress’s failure to reach a deal that has allowed the shutdown to continue.
Schumer and other Democrats have called for Congress to extend funding for Obamacare subsidies, which were temporarily expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. These subsidies are set to expire in December, and Democrats are pushing to make them permanent. Republicans, on the other hand, have said they are open to discussing new subsidies but only after the government has been reopened with a clean continuing resolution — essentially, a short-term spending bill that would keep the government running.
The negotiations have become increasingly polarized, with little room for compromise. As Fetterman pointed out, the situation is already taking a serious toll on ordinary citizens, and the longer the deadlock continues, the worse things will get.
In addition to the immediate issues surrounding SNAP and furloughed workers, there’s a broader political battle unfolding. The ideological rift between Republicans and Democrats in Congress has deepened, and it is unclear how long this impasse will last.
Fetterman’s comments reflect his deep concern for his constituents, and the senator’s frustration is shared by many in his party. As the shutdown continues to impact millions of Americans, the question remains: how long can Congress allow this gridlock to continue before it jeopardizes the well-being of even more citizens?