Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) issued a public apology on Thursday on behalf of Senate Democrats for their failure to end the ongoing government shutdown, now in its fourth week. In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Fetterman expressed frustration over federal workers remaining unpaid and the potential disruption to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which could leave roughly 42 million Americans without food assistance if the stalemate continues. He highlighted the personal impact, noting that his wife’s local food distribution program is already seeing longer lines due to the shutdown, and that he expects to witness the consequences firsthand in Pennsylvania.
Fetterman openly criticized his party’s inability to reach a compromise with Republicans, calling the situation “an absolute failure.” Despite consistently voting for continuing resolutions to fund the government, he lamented that Democratic leaders have not acted decisively to end the shutdown. He expressed empathy for families facing the imminent SNAP lapse, describing the challenges parents will face in feeding their children and keeping daily life running amid government inaction.
The shutdown stalemate reflects broader partisan tensions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) publicly blamed President Donald Trump for exacerbating the crisis, accusing him of “manufacturing a hunger crisis” by cutting off SNAP benefits during the shutdown. Republicans, meanwhile, have indicated willingness to negotiate new subsidies for Obamacare but insist on a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government first. The dispute underscores ongoing challenges in passing federal spending legislation, balancing healthcare subsidies, and addressing urgent needs for federal workers and vulnerable Americans. Fetterman’s remarks highlight growing public and political frustration as Americans face the real-life consequences of congressional gridlock.
