A second government shutdown is possible at midnight on Friday if Republicans and Democrats do not reach an agreement on a budget for the government.
The inability of Congress to negotiate a funding package has caused the government to shut down before.
In December 2018, there was a government shutdown; the shutdown ended in January 2019 when then-President Donald Trump conceded on a budget deal that excluded funds for the border wall he had been demanding for more than a month.
The precise way a government shutdown might unfold is still unclear, but the procedures established by the Office of Management and Budget offer some insight.
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In addition to overseeing the executive branch’s initiatives, the OMB is responsible for notifying government employees about government shutdowns.
In advance of the shutdown caused by disarray in Congress, the Office of Management and Budget has laid out detailed plans for each government department and agency on its website.
Information in these plans indicates the number of employees who will be furloughed, which employees will be required to work for no pay, a timeline for winding down operations in the hours before prior to the shutdown, and a list of activities that will cease.
Defense, State, and Labor departments will require at least a half-day for preparation toward the shutdown.
The military, however, will remain on duty during the shutdown.
A government shutdown would prevent the troops from receiving their wages.
As a result: If the shutdown lasts through the weekend, many civilian employees at the Department of Defense may not be working, such as military academy instructors and maintenance contractors.
More than 2.14 million active-duty military members will work potentially without pay if the shutdown goes on for weeks.
As of today, the military will not be paid until the end of February when funds are asserted for.
Also, as a result of the shutdown (if it occurred), you will have to wait until it is over to apply for a gun permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Even if some employees of these agencies are not hired, essential services such as Social Security, Transportation Security Administration, and air traffic control will be maintained with funds.
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Residents can expect their mail to continue to arrive throughout the weekend, as the US Postal Service will continue to deliver mail.
Since Congress members continue to receive paychecks as required by law, they must continue working to fund the government.
Residents of Washington were particularly affected by the shutdown in 2013.
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, has promised that services in the city will continue this time around, unlike the 2013 shutdown.
Regardless of whether the government will be shut down this weekend, you can still be able to visit Washington, DC, this weekend as the Smithsonian museums will remain open.
Press secretary of White House, Jen Psaki said she believed Congress would solve the budget crisis well before Friday Deadline so that there would be no shutdowns.
“That’s what we are working towards. Obviously, it requires Congress to prevent that from happening, but we have every confidence they will move forward and prevent the government from shutting down,” Psaki said to Reporters on Wednesday.
