What happens if the federal government shuts down?

Unless Congress passes a temporary funding bill by late Friday night, many federal government services will stop over the weekend. So what is exactly involved in a federal government shutdown?

Because Congress doesn’t have a fully funded annual budget, it needs to pass a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating normally. The lack of a continuing resolution  results in a “temporary funding gap” that keeps bills from being paid. This is tied into the Constitution, where Article I, Section 9, states that “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.”

Currently, President Donald Trump, congressional Democrats and congressional Republicans are arguing over a proposed funding bill that doesn’t include an extension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (or DACA) immigration program. Republicans have tried to get Democrats to vote for a temporary funding bill without DACA by extending a popular health insurance bill for children as part of the deal. But many Democrats were insisting any bill include protections for “Dreamers,” the DACA program members who came to the United States as young undocumented immigrants.

It remains to be seen if the funding bill will pass the Senate, where at least nine Democrats would need to join the Republicans to get the bill beyond a 60-vote cloture requirement for a floor vote.

If Congress can’t reach a budget deal by midnight Friday, all nonessential federal government on the government payroll would be furloughed. Hovere, members of Congress, the President, and other “excepted” workers aren’t furloughed. The Supreme Court and most of the judiciary would operate normally in a limited shutdown. Some legislative services would also be affected by a lack of immediate funding.

Other exempt programs include national security and homeland security; government-supplied medical services; food, drug, and environmental inspections; air traffic control; power grid activities; criminal investigations; and disaster assistance. Social Security checks will still go out, but new claims could be delayed, since employees to handle those claims may be affected.

Back in 2013, 1995 and 1996, Congress and the President were locked in a similar budget battles. The first shutdown lasted from November 13 to November 19, 1995. A temporary continuing resolution was agreed to in Congress to help budget talks along. The second shutdown was from December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996. The most recent shutdown lasted for 16 days in October 2013.

In the 1995 shutdown, about 800,000 people were furloughed. The 1996 shutdown was partial, with 284,000 people furloughed, with others working on an unpaid basis. The Congressional Research Service estimates about 850,000, or 40 percent of the federal civilian workforce, was affected by 2013 furloughs. (Furloughed employees get back pay when a shutdown ends.)

According to a report from the Office of Management and Budget, here were some of the agencies and services affected during the 2013 shutdown:

• For the public, National Park Service sites were closed, as well as national museums and monuments, including all Smithsonian properties.
• Applications for passports and visas weren’t processed.
• The issuance of Social Security cards was suspended
• The EVerify system for employers to check worker eligibility, including citizenship status, was closed down.
• Approvals of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical products, devices, and drugs were delayed.
• Federal research activities came to a standstill.
• Federal loans stopped to small businesses, homeowners, and housing and healthcare facility developers.
• Vocational rehabilitation and education counseling services for veterans were stopped.

Any 2018 shutdown would end when President Trump signs a continuing resolution approved by Congress.