It could be an annoyance for some, a disaster for others
Holiday travel plans may go awry if the federal government shuts down at midnight Friday, although most airline operations will continue more or less normally for at least a few days.
Congress has until midnight Friday to agree on a funding plan after a bipartisan plan was abandoned when President-elect Trump and billionaire Elon Musk publicly opposed it. Negotiations are continuing but the outcome is increasingly in doubt. You can keep up to date with the latest developments here.
"Essential" services willcontinuebut if the shutdown drags on, the effects could spread and cause major economic dislocation, not to mention inconvenience for millions of consumers.
Federal employees and contractors will feel the effects immediately. Whether they are furloughed or required to continue working, most won't get paid until the shutdown ends and normal governmental operations resume. If that means two days of lost pay, it's one thing. But if the shutdown drags on, it can be a real hardship for millions of government workers and their families.
Members of the military could see delays in their paychecks and government contractors -- many employed in crucial intelligence, public safety and health roles -- might not be paid at all, depending on the terms of an eventualsettlement.
Federal employees are often described as "bureaucrats" but many are really little more than clerks, functionaries who do a specific task over and over. These people are not very well paid and many live from paycheck to paycheck. Past shutdowns have been hard on them and have sent many to breadlines and soup kitchens.
National parks, museums and other public federal installations will close and many routine safety and health actions -- like food inspection -- will stop.
Social Security and Medicare benefits continue as usual, as does the Postal Service.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has published a shutdown guide for federal workers.
A sordid history
Here are the dates and lengths of previous significant federal government shutdowns in the United States:
1. 2018-2019 Shutdown (Longest Shutdown in U.S. History)
- Dates: December 22, 2018 January 25, 2019
- Length: 35 days
- Reason: Disagreement over funding for President Trump's proposed border wall.
2. 2013 Shutdown
- Dates: October 1 October 17, 2013
- Length: 16 days
- Reason: Disagreement over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) funding.
3. 1995-1996 Shutdown (Second Longest)
- Dates: November 14, 1995 November 19, 1995 (first shutdown) and December 15, 1995 January 6, 1996 (second shutdown)
- Length: 21 days in total (combined two parts)
- Reason: Disputes over budget cuts and fiscal policy between President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress.
4. 1981 Shutdown
- Dates: September 30, 1981 October 12, 1981
- Length: 2 days
- Reason: Disputes over spending cuts proposed by President Ronald Reagan.
5. 1990 Shutdown
- Dates: October 5, 1990 October 9, 1990
- Length: 3 days
- Reason: Budget disagreements between President George H.W. Bush and Congress.
6. 1978 Shutdown
- Dates: September 30, 1978 October 13, 1978
- Length: 18 days
- Reason: Disagreement over funding and budget negotiations during the Carter administration.
7. 1977 Shutdowns
- Dates: September 30, 1977 October 13, 1977, and November 30, 1977 December 9, 1977
- Length: 12 days (combined total of both shutdowns)
- Reason: Budget disputes between President Jimmy Carter and Congress over spending.
While there have been several smaller shutdowns, these are some of the most significant in recent history. A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the President fail to agree on a budget or stopgap funding measure before the start of the fiscal year or an existing funding measure expires, resulting in a partial closure of government operations.
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Posted: 2024-12-20 16:03:15
