Rosita Cipolla The US government has officially entered a shutdown due to a budget deadlock between Republicans and Democrats, with essential services continuing while non-essential activities are suspended.
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At midnight last night, the United States officially entered a government shutdown, marking the beginning of a halt in the country’s administrative activities. This is the first time in seven years that such a situation has occurred, and currently, there is no agreement between Republicans and Democrats in Congress regarding the federal budget. But what does this actually mean, and when does it kick in?
What is a government shutdown and which activities are affected?
The term “shutdown,” literally meaning “turn off,” refers to a political and economic procedure that involves the US executive branch whenever Congress fails to approve the budget law. In these circumstances, administrative activities are not funded and come to a halt, with only essential services, related to human life safety and property protection, continuing. The fiscal year in the United States begins on October 1st, and Congress has until September 30th to approve the federal spending plans, as it is the only body with the power to manage the budget. Without an agreement, a shutdown ensues, which is precisely what happened recently.
The shutdown causes immediate closure of public parks, museums, and monuments. Medical research centers, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), halt patient admissions, while civil trials are postponed and NASA’s workforce is reduced to a minimum. Some veterans’ assistance services are suspended, and state funding for small businesses and private individuals faces delays. However, the US postal services, healthcare assistance, law enforcement operations, air traffic control, and meteorological services remain operational without interruption.
The first shutdown in the US occurred in 1976, during Gerald Ford’s presidency. Since then, it has happened around twenty times, with the longest shutdown lasting three weeks. The most well-known shutdown took place from October 1st to 17th, 2013, under Barack Obama’s presidency, triggered by a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over funding for the healthcare reform “Obamacare.” Under Donald Trump’s presidency, several brief shutdowns also occurred.
This time, the paralysis was triggered due to the lack of an agreement on healthcare funding. Both parties are in stark opposition over the issue, with Democrats refusing to support a Republican bill that, in their view, would make it harder for Americans to access healthcare. They are also demanding the cancellation of Medicaid cuts imposed by Donald Trump, as well as cuts to government health agencies.
How will the impasse end?
There are two main ways out of this deadlock: Republicans can extend the healthcare subsidies requested by the Democrats, or the Democrats will have to yield. So far, the Trump administration has been unwilling to make any concessions and blames the Democrats for the country’s paralysis.
Source: White House
