The US government has officially shut down after Democrats blocked a Republican stopgap funding package that didn't address their demands. As part of the measure, the government funding has expired as the clock struck midnight, and no one inside the Capitol knows what will happen next.
This is the first government shutdown in almost seven years.
Now, essential workers, including military personnel, will have to work without pay, while non-essential federal employees will be sent on furlough. Government functions – like NASA's space missions, President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and certain public health work at the FDA and the USDA – would continue during a shutdown.
Per nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates, as many as 750,000 federal workers could be temporarily furloughed, even if Trump doesn't proceed with permanent dismissals.
Disclaimer: If your rights are infringed, please contact the webmaster and we will delete the infringing content in a timely manner. Thank you for your cooperation! |
