US government services will be disrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be told to stay off the job if Congress fails to extend funding last Friday.
Workers considered essential will remain on duty. All federal employees’ pay may be frozen during the shutdown, although they will receive retroactive pay when government operations resume.
Here’s a guide to what will stay open and what will close according to the agency shutdown plans outlined last year:
When and why does the government shut down?
Congress writes detailed spending legislation each year for most U.S. government agencies, but it rarely does the work before the fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. Lawmakers typically pass stopgap spending bills to avoid being interrupted for several weeks or months while completing their work.
The current stopgap bill expires on December 20. Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, and Democrats, who control the Senate, have negotiated a 1,500-page bill that would extend that funding until March 14, when President-elect Donald Trump returns. in the office. But Trump urged lawmakers on Wednesday to vote against it, complicating its chances of becoming law.
If Congress doesn’t pass some kind of extension and Democratic President Joe Biden doesn’t sign the law by midnight on Friday, broad parts of the government won’t have the money to continue their operations through Christmas Day on Dec. 25. .
Will the mail be delivered if the government shuts it down?
The US Postal Service will be unaffected because it is not dependent on Congress for funding.
What about Social Security, Medicare and other benefits?
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits. Payments will also continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs. Military veterans’ benefits and medical care will also continue.
Food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other nutrition programs will continue, although they may be interrupted to some extent.
What does the shutdown mean for the military?
2 million US military personnel will remain in their posts, but about half of the Pentagon’s 800,000 civilian employees will be ordered off the job.
Contracts awarded before the shutdown will continue, and the Pentagon may place new orders for supplies or services needed to protect national security. Other new contracts, including renewals or extensions, will not be awarded.
Payments to defense contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and RTX may be delayed.
The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration will maintain nuclear weapons.
How does a government shutdown affect law enforcement?
Agents at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal law enforcement agencies will remain on the job, and prison staff will continue to work.
The Secret Service and Coast Guard will also continue to operate, and most employees will continue to work.
Most of the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer-protection workers will be furloughed, as will half of its antitrust staff.
Will the National Parks close when they close?
National parks, monuments and other sites will be closed to the public, although it will be impossible to keep visitors away from many of them. Rangers will be retired and toilets, help desks and other facilities will be closed.
Some states may use their own money to keep parks and other sites open, as happened in the 2018-2019 shutdown.
Wildfire control efforts will continue, although timber sales on national forest lands will be reduced and fewer recreation permits will be issued.
What about border and homeland security?
Most border patrol and immigration enforcement agents will continue to work, as will most customs officers. Local governments won’t get new aid to shelter immigrants.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will suspend security reviews that help schools, local governments and other organizations defend against ransomware.
Will the federal courts remain open when closed?
Federal courts could operate for several weeks without congressional funding, relying on fees and other funds, but eventually activity would have to scale back. The Supreme Court will also be open.
Criminal prosecution will continue. Most civil cases will be postponed.
Does Congress still get paid?
While lawmakers continue to collect paychecks, other federal employees do not. Employees will not be paid, although those deemed necessary will be required to work.
Will the closure affect traffic?
Airport security screeners and air-traffic-control personnel will be required to work, according to recent contingency plans, absenteeism could be a problem. In 2019, some airports had to suspend operations during the shutdown after traffic controllers called in sick.
The Transportation Security Administration will not be able to hire new airport security screeners during the busy holiday travel season.
Some major infrastructure projects could face delays because environmental reviews and permitting will be disrupted, according to the White House.
How will it affect foreign affairs?
US embassies and consulates will remain open. Passport and visa processing will continue until there are sufficient fees to cover operations. Unnecessary official travel, speeches and other events will be curtailed.
Some foreign aid programs may run out of money.
Does a closure hinder science?
Scientific research will be disrupted as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration retire most of their workers when funding runs out.
NASA will continue to support the International Space Station and track satellites, but 17,000 of its 18,300 employees will be laid off.
Weather forecasting and fisheries regulation will continue, as will patent and trademark reviews.
The Federal Communications Commission will conduct consumer protection activities, review equipment and suspend the licenses of TV and radio stations. It will continue to distribute telecommunications grants and its broadband mapping efforts.
What about health programs?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to monitor the outbreak, although other public health activities may be affected as more than half of the agency’s workforce will be laid off.
The National Institutes of Health will furlough most of its staff and delay new clinical trials for medical treatments.
Health services for military veterans and Native Americans will continue. Most inspections of hazardous waste sites and drinking water and chemical facilities will cease.
Food safety inspections by the Food and Drug Administration may be delayed. However, FDA testing of new drugs and medical devices will continue.
What about the SEC and financial regulation?
The Securities and Exchange Commission will lay off about 90% of its 4,600 employees and suspend most operations, it said last year, leaving only a skeleton staff to respond to emergencies.
Similarly, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will lay off nearly all of its staff and cease most oversight activities.
The Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will continue as usual because they are funded by industry fees instead of congressional appropriations.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, an industry-funded brokerage oversight body, will continue to operate. The Treasury Department will continue to issue loans and manage the government’s cash position.
Will a closing delay affect key economic data?
The publication of key US economic data, including employment and inflation reports of critical importance to policymakers and investors, will be suspended.
Will the IRS stay open during the shutdown?
The Internal Revenue Service will stop examining and auditing tax returns and answering taxpayer questions. Automatic tax collection will continue, as will the process for green energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. Nearly two-thirds of the agency’s 90,000 employees will be laid off.
Will the shutdown affect education?
Pell grants and student loans will continue to be paid, but could be disrupted as many Department of Education employees are laid off.
A prolonged shutdown could “severely curtail” schools, universities and other educational institutions, the department said last year. It may also delay the amounts awarded later in the year.
What about Head Start and Child Care?
The White House said last year that 10,000 children from low-income families would lose access to the Head Start preschool program.
Will the government shutdown affect small businesses?
The Small Business Administration will not be able to issue any new loans, although loans for businesses affected by natural disasters will continue.
How will the shutdown affect farmers?
Inspections of meat and eggs will continue, but some laboratory services will be disrupted, making it difficult to fight animal diseases. Crop insurance will not be affected, but some loan programs will be. Research, conservation and rural development programs will be discontinued.
Will the shutdown affect workplace safety?
Workplace safety inspections will be limited, and investigations into unfair pay practices will be suspended.
The National Labor Relations Board’s ability to mediate labor disputes will be reduced as nearly all of its 1,200 employees are laid off, according to the 2022 plan.
How will the shutdown affect housing?
Monthly subsidies for public housing and low-income housing assistance will be at risk. The Federal Housing Administration will continue to back insured mortgages, and Guinea Mae will continue to support the secondary mortgage market. Those who buy new houses in rural areas will not be able to take loans from the Department of Agriculture.
How will the shutdown affect the White House?
In the 2018-2019 shutdown, the White House laid off 1,100 of the 1,800 employees in the Executive Office of the President. Some offices, such as the National Security Council, continued with full powers, while others, such as the Office of Management and Budget, were sharply scaled back.
The US Constitution mentions that the President should be paid a salary.
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