The partial shutdown of the US federal government entered its 22nd day on Wednesday, becoming the second longest in the country's history, behind only the 35-day shutdown that lasted from 2018 to 2019 during Donald Trump's first term.

On reaching its 22nd day 22, the current shutdown has surpassed the previously second-longest, which occurred from December 1995 to January 1996 under President Bill Clinton.

The Senate has attempted to pass interim budgets eleven times this year, most recently on Monday, but neither Republicans nor Democrats have reached the necessary 60 votes.

Democrats are demanding the inclusion of an extension of Obamacare subsidies, which Republicans - who have said they will not negotiate while the shutdown continues - oppose, claiming, without evidence, that this health program benefits undocumented immigrants.

With no prospect of the two sides reaching an agreement, a new vote is expected today in the Senate, where Republicans have said that if their proposal fails again today, they will try to introduce a bill that would directly allocate funds to pay those federal employees who continue working because they are considered essential to the security of property and people in the country.

The closure of The government enters its most delicate phase at the end of this week, as key officials were scheduled to receive their paychecks for the period between October 5 and 18 this Friday.

If the shutdown persists, they will not receive their checks, which promises to increase pressure on groups such as air traffic controllers, a union with a lot of lobbying capacity given the shortage of professionals in this sector in the US.

The sick leave of air traffic controllers - which led to the suspension of a significant number of flights - led to the agreement that ended the previous 35-day government shutdown, until now the longest in the country's history.