A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president disagree on appropriations funding for the following fiscal year. In the past, a funding gap could be temporarily avoided through the use of a temporary appropriation measure known as a “continuing resolution.” A CR keeps activities going for a specific period of time (weeks or months) at existing budget levels until a new budget is passed.
A variety of government activities can stop during a shutdown, though essential services like law enforcement and air traffic control continue. Workers for departments and agencies affected by a funding lapse are either furloughed or required to work without pay, though they will be paid once a new budget is enacted. In addition to federal employees, the tens of thousands of contractors that provide goods and services to many of these departments and agencies can be severely impacted by a shutdown.
Some government programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, are unaffected by a funding lapse because Congress has already approved mandatory spending for these programs that can’t be changed or ended. However, services such as benefit verification and card issuance may be temporarily stopped during a shutdown. Similarly, environmental and food inspections – which are critical for public safety – are delayed during a shutdown, although the FDA temporarily resumed some food inspections a few weeks into the 2018-2019 shutdown.
Government shutdowns have become a regular occurrence, with the country’s reputation harmed by our inability to resolve these disputes. America’s unique federal system was designed to promote compromise and deliberation, not to be used as a bargaining tool for political leaders. The continued problem of shutdowns makes a mockery of that promise and harms our nation’s global standing.
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