What Happens In A Government Shutdown? 7 Things To Know

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump and congressional lawmakers have until Jan. 19 to forestall a government shutdown. If they don't, many important federal functions will go unfunded and grind to a halt.

Negotiations to craft a government funding bill that will avoid a shutdown are underway, but they may hinge on an issue that threatens to scuttle the effort: immigration. As lawmakers try to come up with a solution to help the people who had been protected by DACA, the Obama-era program Trump ended, Republicans are insisting on increased security and funding for a border wall.

Trump centered his campaign on his hard-line immigration positions, and Democrats, in response, have focused much of their energy opposing his stance. This dynamic could heighten partisan feelings on the issue, increasing the risk of stalemate and, by default, a government shutdown.

A government shutdown can play out different ways, but here are seven things that are likely to happen if a government shutdown occurs:

1. Federal employees get furloughed

Without the legal authorization to continue paying employees, hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be "furloughed" — in other words, forced to take a mandatory hiatus. In 2013, around 800,000 federal employees were furloughed; however, around 2.2 million government workers stayed on even during the shutdown.

2. Some workers continue without a clear payment date

Those kept are mostly considered "essential" — TSA, federal prison staff, FBI agents, emergency workers and doctors. And of course, the most well-known government employees — our elected representatives — will continue to show up at work.

Though everyone who works will eventually get paid for the days they put in, the payment of salaries may be delayed until the government is fully funded.

3. The post office stays open.

Since the post office is funded independently, it will continue to run during a government shutdown. So don't worry, you'll still be able to send rent checks or invoices the old-fashioned way if you don't yet completely rely on email.

Similarly, the Federal Reserve is independently funded — and in fact makes more money than it spends — and will continue to operate.

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4. CDC, NIH and National Park Service largely shut down

Among the departments that will shut down are the National Park Service, National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means that you will have to cancel any plans to go to Yellowstone, Yosemite or Acadia until the park rangers are allowed to return.

Perhaps the most troubling department closures, however, are that of the CDC and NIH. When the CDC isn't funded, it falls behind on its efforts to fight the spread of the flu and to track the spread of deadly diseases and infections across the country. The National Institutes of Health are unable to enroll patients in potentially lifesaving experimental studies.

5. Social Security checks go out

Social Security payments are mandated and authorized by federal law, so anyone relying on this money will continue to receive it. However, anyone who wants to sign up to receive social security benefits would be delayed until the government is fully operational again.

6. Unemployment benefits, and other government payments, could face delays

But while social security checks go out, many other sources of federal funds will run dry if the shutdown persists. People receiving veterans' benefits, unemployment insurance, farm subsidies and tax refunds may face delays or have to wait until Congress passes a spending bill. In 2013, for instance, some veterans benefits were delayed, though most were paid out, according to Newsweek.

7. The country loses money

Every day the government shutdown lasts, the economy suffers. Federal spending, like it or not, is a major part of the American economy, and abruptly ending it means less economic activity because of lost productivity, wages and other downstream financial impacts.

According to the financial ratings agency Standard and Poor's, the 2013 government shutdown subtracted about $1.5 billion from GDP every day it lasted, totaling $24 billion of lost economic activity by the end. And these numbers don't count other harder-to-measure economic impacts, such as reduced confidence in the competence of the American government and institutions.

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