The prospect of a shutdown of U.S. public services becomes more likely with each passing day, as lawmakers have yet to reach an agreement to extend funding beyond the deadline until the end of this month.
Congressional leaders on both sides hope to pass a short-term funding extension to keep the “lights on” and prevent a drain on public services. But it is far from certain whether the plan will succeed amid deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans over government spending and issues such as aid to Ukraine.
Government funding expires at the end of September 30, which marks the start of the new fiscal year. If Congress does not pass legislation to renew funding for public services within that timeframe, the full effects of the shutdown could be seen from the start of the work week on Monday (2).
What can happen during this period?
In the event of a shutdown of public services, many government operations would be interrupted, but some services considered essential would continue.
Federal agencies have contingency plans if situations like this arise. However, despite this, it is not possible to predict exactly how government operations would be affected if a shutdown occurred until the end of September.
The certainty, so far, is that essential services, such as public security, national security, or those considered critical, such as border protection and air traffic control, continue to operate.
Federal employees whose work was considered “non-essential” would be placed on furlough, meaning they would not work or receive pay during the shutdown. Employees whose jobs are considered “essential” would continue to work but also would not be paid during the shutdown.
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Once the shutdown ends, federal employees who were required to work and those who were laid off will receive retroactive pay.
In the past, retroactive pay to furloughed employees was not guaranteed, although Congress could and did act to ensure that these workers would be compensated for lost wages once the shutdown ended.
Now, however, retroactive pay for furloughed workers is automatically guaranteed as a result of legislation led by Senator Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, that was signed into law in 2019. Employees deemed “essential” and required to work already had the pay. guaranteed retroactive effect after a previous stoppage for the approval of this legislation.
And federal employees aren’t the only ones who could feel the effects of a shutdown.
During previous shutdowns, national parks became a major focal point of attention. While National Park Service sites across the country were closed during previous government shutdowns, many remained open but understaffed — under the Trump administration — during a 2019 shutdown.
Some park locations operated for weeks without services provided by the park to visitors, such as restrooms, trash collection, facilities, or road maintenance.
“If you are a public servant, this is highly disturbing,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. “If you want to use one of the services that are down, this can be highly disruptive.”
Why might the US face a utility shutdown?
There is a deep divide between the House and Senate right now over the effort to reach consensus and pass full-year spending legislation, as hard-line House conservatives push for deep spending cuts and policy add-ons controversial issues that Democrats, as well as some Republicans, have rejected.
With the funding deadline approaching, top lawmakers from both parties hope to pass a short-term funding extension known on Capitol Hill as a continuing resolution, or CR.
These short-term measures are often used as a stopgap solution to avoid a shutdown and buy more time to try to reach a broader funding agreement for the full year.
It is unclear, however, whether there will be enough consensus to pass even a short-term funding bill before the end of the month, as Conservatives criticize the possibility of an interim bill and threaten to vote against it, while demanding major political concessions that have no chance of approval in the Senate.
Aid to Ukraine could also take center stage and further complicate efforts to pass a short-term law.
Senate Democrats and Republicans strongly support additional aid to Ukraine, which could be included as part of a stopgap bill, but many House Republicans are reluctant to continue sending aid and do not want to see it tied to a funding bill. short term.
What does the White House say?
The White House issued a stark warning this week that a shutdown could threaten crucial federal programs.
In its warning, the White House estimated that 10,000 children would lose access to Head Start programs across the country, as the Department of Health and Human Services would be prevented from providing subsidies during a shutdown, while air traffic controllers and TSA officers would have to work without pay, threatening travel delays across the country.
A shutdown would also delay food safety inspections by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the North American Anvisa.
“These consequences are real and avoidable – but only if House Republicans stop playing political games with people’s lives and meeting the ideological demands of their most extremist and far-right members,” the White House said.
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Source: CNN Brasil

Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.