The U.S. Government has Shutdown

At midnight on October 1st, the US federal government shut down after Congress failed to pass a fiscal year budget by the deadline. This loss of bipartisan support in Congress created a small crisis. The House and Senate must each draft and approve budget proposals, which then require agreement between both chambers and presidential approval. This year, since the president vetoed the bill, contingency plans were implemented. Mandatory employees, such as military personnel, medical care providers, and border security staff, continue working. Programs like veterans’ funding, Medicare, and Social Security remain unaffected due to permanent funding. For context, the 2019 shutdown cost the government $11 billion; currently, $7 billion is lost each week. Responding to the shutdown, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Democrats shut down the government because they prioritize healthcare for illegal immigrants over the needs of Americans. She added that, until Democrats vote for a clean Republican bill, there would be no progress, and emphasized that President Trump will never stop fighting for Americans. Many have argued that this statement made by the white house comments line is against the law as it breaches the Hatch Act, which prevents federal employees from engaging in political acts while on duty or using government resources.` All parties are working to resolve this situation.