The top Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress have worked out an agreement to keep the government funded through the current fiscal year, but if it isn’t passed by January 19th, several federal agencies will start to shut down.

According to agency shutdown plans, the following is a list of what would remain open and what will close:

When Would The Government Shut Down?

In order to buy more time for negotiations, Congress has temporarily extended federal funding since the fiscal year began on October 1. However, those extensions are shortly to expire.

Certain federal agencies, like the Department of Transportation, have a funding deadline of January 19; other departments, like the Defence Department, have a deadline of February 2.

before that time, hundreds of thousands of federal employees would be required to stop working, and many government programmes would cease operations if Congress did not adopt new spending legislation before then.

The provision of services deemed “essential,” such as border protection and benefits payments, by other employees would have to be done without compensation.

January 19: Housing, Transportation, and Food Safety

Agencies in charge of housing, transportation, agriculture, and veterans’ services, among other things, had their funding expire on this date.

Workers in air traffic control and airport security screening would have to report for duty. However, the system would become understaffed as training for 1,000 new air traffic controllers will come to an end. The Transportation Security Administration would not be able to hire new screeners.

The Food and Drug Administration may postpone its inspections for food safety, but it will still assess new medications and medical equipment.

The majority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s derivatives market oversight would end.

Low-income housing assistance and public housing monthly subsidies would be in jeopardy. However, Ginnie Mae would continue to support the secondary mortgage market, and the Federal Housing Administration would continue to support insured mortgages.

Inspections of meat and eggs would go on, but some lab services would be interrupted, making the fight against animal diseases more difficult. While certain loan programmes would be impacted, crop insurance will not. Programmes for rural development, conservation, and research would be discontinued.

The Department of Veterans Affairs would keep providing benefits and medical care, while the Army Corps of Engineers would keep up the upkeep of the country’s waterways.

Nuclear weapons would be maintained by the National Nuclear Security Administration of the Department of Energy.

The military would run out of money for building projects like houses and other infrastructure. Payments to businesses performing such work might not go through.

Prior to the closure, existing contracts would remain in effect; however, no new contracts, including extensions or renewals, would be granted.

February 2: NATIONAL PARKS, SCIENCE, MILITARY

About half of the 800,000 civilian workers at the Pentagon would be told not to report for duty, while military troops would stay at their positions.

Federal law enforcement personnel, such as those employed by the FBI, would continue to work.

Most Border Patrol and immigration enforcement agents would continue to work, but local governments would not receive additional funding to shelter migrants.

National parks would be closed, but many of them could not be kept open to the public.

Federal courts could continue to exist for a while, but they would eventually have to reduce their activity. The Supreme Court would remain open.

Criminal proceedings, including the two federal cases against former President Donald Trump, would proceed. Most civil lawsuits would be postponed.

US embassies and consulates would remain operational, but certain overseas aid programmes may run out of funds.

Members of Congress would continue to receive paychecks, but their staffers would not. Many White House employees would be furloughed, but President Joe Biden would still receive a paycheck.

Scientific research would be interrupted as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health would lay off the majority of their staff.

Weather forecasting and fishery regulation would continue, as would patent and trademark examinations.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue to monitor disease outbreaks, but other public health initiatives may suffer.

Most inspections of hazardous waste sites, drinking water, and chemical facilities would be halted. Workplace safety checks would also be reduced.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would halt most activity.

Economic data releases, such as employment and inflation reports, would be suspended.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would no longer examine and audit tax returns, nor would it react to taxpayer inquiries; instead, automated tax collection would continue.

According to the White House, 10,000 low-income children will lose access to the Head Start preschool programme.

Unaffected Services

Some government services will continue to operate as usual because they are not funded by Congress.

The USPS would continue to deliver mail.

Social Security retirement and disability benefits, as well as food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme, would continue to be paid.

The Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programmes would remain unaltered.

The Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency would continue to regulate banks.

The Treasury would continue to issue debt.

(Adapted from Reuters.com)

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