Congress races to fund federal government before deadline: Here’s what staying open and closing

Congress has less than 12 hours to find a way to fund the federal government or risk the closure of multiple federal agencies and services. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will either be furloughed or sent home days before Christmas

Republicans abandoned a proposed bipartisan plan Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk voiced their opposition. The Associated Press reported that Trump told House Speaker Mike Johnson to renegotiate the deal days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is a federal government shutdown?

According to the state’s Employment Development Department, Congress sets aside money for federal agencies to use in the next fiscal year each year. When there isn’t a current federal budget, federal agencies must stop spending money until a new budget is passed. This is known as a federal government shutdown.

What happens to federal workers during a shutdown?

Federal workers are classified as either “essential” or “nonessential.”

Essential employees, those who perform emergency work involving the safety of human life, the protection of property, or other exempted work, will be required to report to work.

However, non-essential workers will be furloughed or placed on unpaid leave.

What services/ programs will be impacted?

• The U.S. Constitution specifies that the president continues to get paid during a shutdown.
• Lawmakers in Congress will also continue to receive pay.
• The Social Security Administration will continue distributing Social Security benefits to seniors and people with disabilities. However, a lapse in funding can delay new claims and other customer service requests.
• Medicare claims will continue to proceed, but new applications, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and more could be delayed due to a funding lapse.
• Veterans’ Benefits, such as education and health benefits, disability compensation, and pension claims, will not be impacted. All VA medical facilities and clinics will remain open and operational, but VA call centers and hotlines—excluding the Veterans Crisis Line—will be impacted.
• Federal unemployment benefits will continue to be dispersed to the California Employment Development Department.
• The U.S. Postal Service will remain operational.
• United States military activities, excluding operations deemed necessary for national security, will cease operation. Active-duty personnel will continue on a normal duty status and will not be paid until Congress appropriates their funding.
• About half of the Pentagon’s 800,000 civilian employees would be furloughed.
• National parks, monuments and other sites would be closed to the public. Park rangers will also be furloughed. Some states could use money to keep their parks and other sites open.
• Agents at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, other federal law enforcement agencies and prison staffers would remain on the job. The Secret Service and the Coast Guard will continue operations. However, the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection and antitrust employees would be furloughed.
• Federal courts can remain open without congressional funding but will eventually have to scale back activities depending on how long the shutdown lasts. The Supreme Court would stay open as well.
• Airport security screeners and air traffic control workers would be required to work, according to a breakdown from Reuters, but absenteeism could be a problem.
• U.S. embassies and consulates would remain open. Passport and visa processing would continue as long as sufficient fees cover operations.
• Pell Grants and student loans would continue to be paid out but could be disrupted as most Education Department employees would be furloughed.
• The Internal Revenue Service would stop examining and auditing tax returns and responding to taxpayer queries. Automated tax collection would continue. About two-thirds of the 90,000 employees at the IRS will be furloughed.

Congress has less than 12 hours to find a way to fund the federal government or risk the closure of multiple federal agencies and services. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will either be furloughed or sent home days before Christmas Republicans abandoned a proposed bipartisan plan Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon […]