The United States Government is officially shutdown after lawmakers in Congress failed reach an agreement on a new spending bill.
A government shutdown happens when Congress cannot agree on a federal budget. Without approved funding, many government offices and programs are forced to close or operate with limited staff. Under the Constitution, Congress controls the nation’s spending, but both chambers must pass the same version of the budget and it must be signed off by the President. If any of this fails, the government runs out of money resulting in a shutdown.
Essential services such as the military, air traffic control, and Social Security payments continue, but hundreds of thousands of federal employees are either sent home without pay or required to work without knowing when they will be compensated. National parks and museums are closed and websites are not updated. So far, it is not affecting everyday Americans but overtime the economy would slow down and begin to affect everyday Americans. Until a compromise is reached between Democrats and Republicans the shutdown will continue.
Paychecks are currently being halted for federal workers, which can cause financial stress. Applications for passports, visas, and other government paperwork is delayed which can also cause stress. Programs, such as research and health are being halted which slows down scientific studies. Small businesses that rely on federal contracts could face closures, families may struggle without support programs, and consumer confidence could dip.
In the past, the government has shut down more than 20 times. One of the longest shutdowns began in 2018, lasting 35 days. As a result, the economy lost billions of dollars from this individual shutdown.
