Post by : Rameen Ariff

The US government has officially shut down after Democrats blocked a Republican stopgap funding bill, marking the first federal shutdown since 2018. With government funding expired, uncertainty looms over operations, employees, and public services.

During the shutdown, essential workers, including military personnel, law enforcement, and air traffic controllers, will continue working but without pay. Non-essential federal employees will be sent on temporary unpaid furloughs, affecting hundreds of thousands of civil servants. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that up to 750,000 federal workers could be temporarily furloughed.

Some government functions will continue despite the shutdown. Agencies responsible for life-saving and safety operations, like hospital medical care, border protection, and certain FDA and USDA functions, remain active. Programs such as Social Security and Medicare payments will continue, though some services like benefit verification and new card issuance may be delayed.

Services that could pause include student loans, food assistance programs, government pre-schools, immigration hearings, and national park operations. Travel and other public services may face delays if the shutdown lasts longer.

Analysts warn that a prolonged shutdown could slightly reduce economic growth, disrupt markets, and lower public confidence. Estimates suggest the economy could lose 0.1 to 0.2% of growth per week if the shutdown continues.

The shutdown stems from a political standoff over healthcare subsidies. Democrats insist that any spending bill must include permanent Affordable Care Act subsidies, while Republicans want the issues handled separately. President Donald Trump has threatened to fire federal workers if the shutdown persists, adding tension to the ongoing standoff.

With no immediate compromise in Congress, it remains uncertain how long the shutdown will last. The US has experienced 15 government shutdowns since 1981, most lasting a few days. This standoff affects public services, federal workers, and millions of Americans relying on government programs.

#world news #Global News #Donald Trump