Core Points - The U.S. federal government shutdown is entering a critical week, with the potential to match the longest shutdown record if it continues past November 4 [1] - President Trump has stated he will not compromise with Democrats, indicating the shutdown may persist for an extended period [1][4] Group 1: Impact on Low-Income Families - The shutdown is causing delays in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which has a budget of $4.1 billion and serves approximately 5.9 million households [2] - Many families are facing food insecurity as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has run out of funds, affecting around 42 million people, or one-eighth of the U.S. population [2] - Food assistance sites are experiencing increased demand, with many individuals either not receiving benefits or fearing future delays, particularly with Thanksgiving approaching [3] Group 2: Economic Consequences - The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the shutdown could reduce the annualized GDP growth rate by 1 to 2 percentage points in Q4, leading to an estimated economic output loss of $7 billion to $14 billion [6] - If the shutdown lasts four weeks, the economic loss is expected to be $7 billion; if it extends to six weeks, losses could rise to $11 billion, and to $14 billion if it lasts eight weeks [6] - The aviation sector is particularly at risk, with warnings of potential disasters in air traffic due to staffing shortages exacerbated by the shutdown [5]