Millions of federal employees and active-duty military members will stop receiving paychecks – but many will be forced to show up for work anyway.
Some national parks and museums may close, and airports across the country may face new disruptions and delays.
Even worse, the most important federal aid programs – including those assisting victims of the deadly wildfires in Maui – may be unable to provide the urgently needed support.
In just eight days, the U.S. government is set to “shut down,” triggering financial hardships for families, workers, and American businesses.
The reason? Again, the inability of divided American lawmakers to reach an agreement on government funding, thus avoiding a shutdown of services, activities, and fund transfers before the September 30 deadline.
At the center of the impasse are the already known Republican demands for deep cuts in federal spending. Far-right lawmakers blocked the House this week from adopting a short-term measure that would sustain federal spending at current levels and buy more time for both parties to reach a long-term agreement.
Anticipating the worst, the Biden administration has begun reviewing and publishing a set of plans on how agencies should proceed if funds run out.
As usual, mail deliveries will continue and seniors will keep receiving their Social Security checks, because these payments are not funded by annual appropriations. But many may not be able to obtain new Medicare cards or resolve other issues with their benefits until federal funding is restored.
Some federal inspections that ensure food safety and prevent the release of hazardous chemicals into drinking water may be suspended, warns the Biden administration. Federal research for cancer cures and other innovative therapies may also cease. Passport-issuing agencies in some parts of the country are also expected to close, disrupting the plans of some Americans intending to travel internationally.
Eventually, the government may be unable to provide some low-income families with childcare, nutritional assistance, housing vouchers, or financial aid for college. The longer a shutdown persists, the greater the blow that could ultimately harm an economy that has teetered on the brink of recession for over a year.
The approximately 1.3 million active-duty soldiers in the country will also have to command their posts without pay. However, once federal funding is restored, the government is legally required to reimburse federal and military employees.
Finally, the lapse in funding could prove equally debilitating for Americans still recovering from recent wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.
The most recent interruption in federal funding occurred under the presidency of Donald Trump. A 35-day lapse, which began in the final hours of 2018 and marked the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Trump suspended government funding until January 2019 in an attempt to force Democrats to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump ultimately failed to secure the money as part of a deal to reopen the government in January, when the shutdown had already incurred significant economic costs.
Source: The Washington Post