America is hours away from shutting down its government as Congress has yet to authorize annual budget funding for certain departments before the new fiscal year begins (on October 1).
Capitol in Washington DCPhoto: HotNews.ro / Victor Cozmei
If the House and Senate cannot agree on the new bill for President Joe Biden to sign, millions of government employees, including those in the military, will not be paid.
It could also mean the suspension of work in museums, national parks, research facilities and health centers with national government funding.
Is this possible to happen?
On Saturday, Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House of Representatives would vote on a temporary funding bill.
The last-minute battle to pass the spending will require Democratic votes, angering those who wanted to pass a bill without their support.
Even if the House passes the bill, there may not be enough time for the (Democrat-majority) Senate to vote on the bill and for Biden to sign it in time
The move will test McCarthy’s slim 221-212 majority, where hard-line conservatives opposed the idea, and could cost McCarthy his job.
How did it come to this?
The House and Senate are split on what to spend some of his nearly $6 trillion budget on, and McCarthy has said he opposes $6 billion in aid to Ukraine.
Infighting among House Republicans has pushed the US to the brink of its fourth partial shutdown in 10 years
Which departments will close?
Government agencies have already drawn up detailed plans that spell out what services to continue, such as airport controls and border patrols, and what to close: scientific research and nutritional aid for the seven million poor mothers.
Most of the more than four million government employees would not be paid, whether they work or not.
The impact would also affect millions of Americans who will rely on government assistance. They will also experience delays in the provision of some services.
Has this happened before?
The US has a history of government shutdowns. There were several in the 1980s and 1990s – this would be the fourth in a decade.
The last shutdown in 2018-19 was caused by Donald Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to build the Mexican wall.
How long will this shutdown last?
It could take days or even weeks to be resolved. A prolonged shutdown could also affect the U.S. food assistance program, which serves 40 million low-income Americans, and affect the implementation of a new
schemes to serve free breakfast and lunch to students in high-need school districts.
