A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass an appropriation bill or a continuing resolution. The House and Senate may try to pass a different bill, but if they can’t agree on the contents of the new bill, or if it is blocked by the other chamber, then the government will enter a shutdown. Congress may in rare cases try to override a presidential veto of an appropriation bill or CR, but that requires the support of two-thirds of both the House and the Senate.
During a government shutdown, only those agencies deemed essential continue operations. This includes border protection, law enforcement, inpatient medical care, air traffic control and disaster aid. However, these workers must work without pay during a shutdown. Other functions such as issuance of Social Security cards, verification of benefits, and processing address changes will stop.
Shutdowns are painful and unnecessary. They slow economic growth, impose real costs and disrupt critical services for the American people. They also serve as a distraction from long-term budgetary issues that require bipartisan cooperation and focus. This type of brinksmanship is not the way forward for America. Instead, policymakers should strive for long-term solutions that reduce spending and put the United States on a sustainable fiscal path.
The shutdown continues into its second week, and Americans are feeling the effects. Families, federal employees and contractors, seniors on fixed incomes, and veterans facing a lack of health care access all face uncertainty. Every day the Senate fails to pass a responsible, clean CR to fund the government, more families are forced to make impossible choices to pay their bills.