Trump signs bill to end longest U.S. government shutdown

infographic by Mae Bearden

A government shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to approve funding bills for the next financial year. On Nov. 12, President Donald J. Trump signed a bill to put an end to the 43 day shutdown. There have only been four complete shutdowns in the United States before the present, and this most recent shutdown now marks the longest according to an article by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The hold in money caused some federal employees to have delayed paychecks or briefly be out of work. Before opposing parties eventually came to an agreement, the shutdown had various effects on government services and workers.

“Congress not only uses the shutdown as leverage tools but does it while continuing to draw their pay during a shutdown,” debate and geography teacher Mrs. Anna Johnson said. “They have power to shut down and impact average Americans, but their pay is never affected.”

The shutdown only affected government-financed programs, causing some nonessential employees to be put on temporary leave. In an article published by CNN Oct. 16, around 1.4 million government employees were reported to have been affected by the shutdown, either furloughed or working without pay. Various public resources and agencies were liable to understaffing or complete closures. Families had to expect flight delays during holiday travel and difficulty visiting national museums and parks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) experienced delays in inspections and processing.

“During a shutdown, each agency decides which of its employees are ‘essential’ or

‘excepted,’ and who are ‘non-essential,’” Mr. Allen Wood, retired senior audit manager for the Department of Justice and TKA board member, said. “Essential workers are those whose jobs are critical to public safety and national security. These would include jobs such as law enforcement, border protection and TSA. These employees continue to work without pay. Non-essential workers are not allowed to work and are ‘furloughed’ during the shutdown.”

Every year, Congress passes 12 bills to manage government funds. When disagreements arise over these bills, financing is paused, resulting in a shutdown. This year, a continuing resolution, or temporary spending bill, was introduced to prolong government financing until Nov. 21. The bill needed 60 votes to pass the Senate. According to an article by Brookings, a nonpartisan research organization, some Democrats refused to support it without changes towards funding the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Until this most recent bill passed the House and Senate, debating was at an impasse.

“Since the 1974 Congressional Budget Act, Congress has passed the appropriations bills by the Oct. 1 deadline only four times,” Mr. Wood said. “More frequently Congress has resorted to a ‘continuing resolution’ to temporarily keep the government running while negotiations continue.”

It is expected to take some time before government operations return to normal. Americans should anticipate some lingering effects on air travel and other services while finances are being processed.

“Most shutdowns have been short-lived and have little real impact,” Mr. Wood said. “However, recent shutdowns have lasted longer and do impact folks. If an employee’s financial planning is such that they rely on each paycheck for immediate expenses, the impact can be a significant financial hardship.”