Senate Adjourns Without Funding Vote
The US Senate adjourned on Tuesday evening without passing a funding measure, making a government shutdown almost certain. With the midnight deadline expired, federal agencies are now preparing for disruptions as Congress has no immediate plans to reconvene until Wednesday.
Impact of the Shutdown
If the shutdown goes into effect, the consequences will be widespread:
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Essential Workers: Military personnel, air traffic controllers, and hospital staff will continue to perform their duties, but paychecks will be delayed until the shutdown ends.
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Non-Essential Workers: Federal employees deemed non-essential will be placed on temporary unpaid leave (furloughs).
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Estimated Numbers: According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), nearly 750,000 federal employees could face furloughs during the shutdown.
President Trump’s Statement
President Donald Trump said his administration may consider sending many federal employees on permanent leave if the shutdown continues. However, by law, non-essential employees are typically furloughed and later receive back pay once the government reopens.
Who Will Continue Working?
Under federal law, only “excepted employees” can continue working during a shutdown. These include positions directly related to life and property safety such as:
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Medical care in hospitals
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Border security personnel
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Law enforcement officers
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Air traffic control staff
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Processing of Social Security and Medicare checks
