Senate Democrats are expected to vote against a stopgap funding bill today, which means the federal government could shut down early Saturday.
The Republican-controlled House approved the bill by a 217-213 vote on Tuesday and left for a 10-day recess. The measure faces a more difficult process in the 100-seat Senate, which requires a supermajority of at least 60 votes to pass.
Bill vote: Tough choice for Democrats.
Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has said he’ll vote against the bill, but two Democrats favor it instead of a shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
That means the GOP needs at least six Democratic votes.
Democrats don’t want to be blamed for a shutdown, but are against a funding extension that they say empowers President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to continue cutting government staff and spending.
Where federal employees work
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The 99-page bill keeps the federal government funded at near-current levels until Sept. 30. If the funding measure is not passed by midnight today, the shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Like any home or business, the federal government must pay its bills. When Congress can’t agree on how to appropriate money for funding, non-essential departments of the government shut down. Funding expires Friday night.
What happens during a government shutdown?
During a shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers, those deemed nonessential, are furloughed, or sent home without pay. They are reimbursed when they return.
Employees who are classified as essential for critical operations in defense, energy, agriculture, and other sectors would continue to work, but without pay. They are reimbursed when the shutdown ends.
When have government shutdowns taken place?
The federal government has closed down 21 times with a total of 162 days since 1977. That’s an average of nearly eight days per shutdown.
Highest number of shutdown days: The president with the most is Jimmy Carter, who had 56 days in five separate shutdowns from 1977 to 1979. Second is Donald Trump, with 38 days in two shutdowns in 2018. Bill Clinton is third with 26 days in two shutdowns in 1995.
Longest single shutdown: A review shows the longest shutdown, 35 days in a row, took place under Trump in 2018.
Who keeps working in a government shutdown?
It’s not clear what departments would remain open during this shutdown. The White House removed guidelines on shutdown contingency plans on its website earlier this week, according to the Washington Post.
Under previous guidelines, staffers at essential agencies would continue to work if the shutdown happens, including:
Defense: Branches of the U.S. military and the Coast Guard would remain on duty.
Law enforcement and protection: The Secret Service, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and others would not be affected.
Border security: Most Border Patrol officers, ICE agents, and customs officials would keep working.
Prisons: Officers would stay on the job.
Travel: Transportation Security Administration agents at airports and air-traffic controllers would be required to work.
Mail: The U.S. Postal Service would remain open.
Taxes: The Internal Revenue Service would keep working.
CONTRIBUTING Riley Beggin, Sudiksha Kochi, Eric Lagatta, Savannah Kuchar, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Jim Sergent, USA TODAY
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown: How, where federal workers would be most affected
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