Congress Races to Secure Funding Before Government Shutdown Deadline

• Lawmakers are under pressure to reach a funding deal by Friday’s deadline.
• President Trump blames the Democrats if the government shuts down.
• A potential shutdown could furlough nearly 900,000 workers without pay.
• Over 1.4 million essential employees would still be required to work.
• Shutdowns previously disrupted services like food inspections and immigration hearings.

Congress races against the clock to prevent shutdown.

As the pressure mounts on Congress with the government funding deadline looming, lawmakers are hustling to strike a deal before the clock runs out. The last successful funding measure was back in December, which was a stopgap bill signed by then-President Joe Biden that provided funding until mid-March. Now, with Friday’s midnight deadline quickly approaching, the possibility of another government shutdown is becoming all too real.

Impact of a shutdown on federal workers and services.

If the funding bill doesn’t make it through, we’ll be staring down the barrel of a government shutdown, and this wouldn’t be the first rodeo for President Donald Trump. He previously oversaw the longest shutdown in US history during his initial term, and the implications could be severe. According to Trump, the Democrats are to blame if the government shuts down. He made this assertion during a statement from the Oval Office, expressing concerns over the potential fallout for Americans.

How will government functions be affected?

In the event of a shutdown, a staggering number of nearly 900,000 federal workers could find themselves furloughed without pay, while around 1.4 million essential employees are still expected to show up for work. However, not all of them would be paid immediately, with about 750,000 funded through different sources, as noted by Rachel Snyderman from the Bipartisan Policy Center. Historically, shutdowns have led to a slew of disruptions—from national parks closing and food inspections halting to cancelled immigration hearings. Even air traffic controllers, deemed essential, faced challenges last time when many called in sick.

As the midnight deadline nears, Congress faces intense pressure and the prospect of a government shutdown looms large. The potential impact on federal workers could be extensive, with many furloughed or facing uncertainty. Past experiences suggest widespread disruptions in government services and operations, raising serious concerns for millions of Americans.