The Democratic Party is under increasing pressure from the country’s largest federal employee union to support a Republican proposal aimed at swiftly ending the government shutdown.

The American Federation of Government Employees has urged Democrats to move forward with a continuing resolution that Republicans have been attempting to pass since the onset of the shutdown, now in its 28th day.

Up to this point, only three Democrats have backed the resolution during 12 congressional votes, even though the party supported a similar measure 13 times during President Biden’s administration.

The proposed continuing resolution serves as a temporary fix to prevent the ongoing crisis caused by the shutdown. It would ensure government funding until November 21, providing time for further negotiations.

However, Democrats have held back from agreeing to the plan without assurances on extending key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Everett Kelley, President of the left-leaning union, has urged Democrats to adopt a solution that would prevent millions from suffering financial hardship and working without pay.

‘Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,’ Kelley said.

‘Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together.’

As the government hiatus stretches into a 28th day, American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley (pictured) implored both sides of politics to find a solution to prevent millions of Americans from going hungry and working for free

Kelley called on Congress ‘to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.’ 

Strategists and pollsters in both parties have warned the shutdown is a liability for both sides, but so far more Americans are placing the blame on Republicans, given they are the party in power.

‘What we’re seeing primarily is disgust with the system as a whole and a pox on both your houses,’ Republican pollster Whit Ayres told The Hill.

‘Most Americans can’t understand why the federal government can’t function effectively enough to pass a budget and keep the government open.’

According to a Reuters/Ispos poll with 4,385 respondents, 50 percent blamed Republicans more while 43 percent said the shutdown was primarily Democrats’ fault. 

John Fetterman, one of only three Democrats who has voted in favor of the continuing resolution during the past 12 attempts to push it through, said Kelley and the AFGE union were ‘firmly on the right side of this and we should absolutely listen.’

‘Our servicemembers, federal workers, and Capitol Police are hurting. It’s one of many reasons why I’ve continuously voted to open our government,’ the Pennsylvania senator wrote on X. 

‘We need to end this chaos.’

Democrats are facing pressure from the nation’s biggest federal worker union to work with Republicans to end the government shutdown

But former Democrat strategist Steve Jarding said if the Democrats continued to hold out past November 1, when many as 42 million Americans face losing access to food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Republicans will be faced with immense pressure to cut a deal.

‘When these cuts [to subsidies] start coming in November, I think, boy, things are going to hit the fan,’ he said.

The US Department of Agriculture revealed this week that the ‘well has run dry’ for SNAP benefits.  

‘At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.’

The Trump administration reportedly declined to tap into approximately $5 billion in contingency funds to cover SNAP costs amidst the second longest shutdown in US history.

Staffing issues have also gripped federal industries across the United States, impacting travel from major US airports, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, New York, Houston, Atlanta and other hubs. 

The FAA revealed that more than 8,000 flights were delayed on Sunday due to staffing shortages at 22 airports. 

Kelley represents more than 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers ‘who serve with pride and professionalism.

In an effort to stem the damage, T rump ordered members of the military to receive pay during the government shutdown

‘They ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected,’ he said.

‘They come from every political background and every corner of this nation. What unites them is a simple belief: that service to country is honorable work.’

‘Today,’ Kelley said, ‘that belief is being tested. 

‘The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa, and hundreds of thousands more like them are being asked to keep our country running without the paychecks that keep their own households afloat.

‘These are patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable.’

While Kelley did not single out Democrats or Republicans to solve the issue, the message will sting for liberal politicians who have already voted against reopening on 12 occasions. 

Democrats have refused to reopen the government until Republicans agree to compromise on extending parts of the Affordable Care Act. 

While Kelley did not single out Democrats or Republicans to solve the issue, the message will sting for liberal politicians who have already voted against reopening on 12 occasions

Republicans have argued Democrats are risking stability for everyday, hardworking Americans in favor of ‘holding out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures’

Republicans have argued Democrats are risking stability for everyday, hardworking Americans in favor of ‘holding out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures.’

The federal government entered into shutdown on October 1 when lawmakers failed to pass new funding bills. 

FBI Director Kash Patel also called on lawmakers to find a solution on Monday, noting it was ‘another day where 2/3 of the FBI goes without a paycheck, after 45 Senators (all of whom are still getting paid) voted against paying them last week. 

‘When law enforcement isn’t paid, it weakens our ability to keep America safe. We owe it to those who protect this nation to end the shutdown.’

While non-essential government employees have been furloughed during the shutdown, thousands more are being required to work without pay throughout the ongoing saga.

Some 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are among those who must work even though they are not being paid.

Staffing issues have also gripped federal industries across the United States, impacting travel from major US airports , including Los Angeles , Chicago , Denver, New York, Houston, Atlanta and other hubs 

SNAP is a fully electronic system which allows beneficiaries to receive a set amount of money loaded onto a card each month. The average $187 monthly can then be used like a debit or credit card in stores 

In an effort to stem the damage, Trump ordered members of the military to receive pay during the government shutdown.

The president has ruled that they will be paid using any available funds from the Fiscal Year 2026 budget that Congress has already appropriated.

But the crisis will go from bad to worse on November 1 when SNAP benefits run dry. 

SNAP is a fully electronic system which allows beneficiaries to receive a set amount of money loaded onto a card each month. The average $187 monthly can then be used like a debit or credit card in stores.

Cards apply to major grocery stores, dollar stores, farmers’ markets, and to order food online from retailers such as Amazon.

Fallout could include sales declining at grocery stores and added strain on food banks as impoverished Americans look for other ways to eat.