Congress is facing the possibility of a government shutdown as lawmakers struggle to reach an agreement on funding before the midnight deadline on Friday. President-elect Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk have derailed plans for a bill that would fund the government until March 14 due to disagreements over the bill’s provisions.
If an agreement is not reached, federal workers could face furloughs and delays in pay, impacting hundreds of thousands of employees. Essential government functions, such as Social Security payments, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and veterans’ benefits, would continue, but there could be interruptions in services like Head Start education programs and Meals on Wheels.
National parks and museums could be closed, federal lending to businesses delayed, and Pentagon contracts paused during a shutdown. Federal contractors, including janitors and food service workers, would go unpaid. However, members of Congress would continue to receive paychecks, while non-essential staffers could be furloughed.
Overall, a government shutdown would have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only federal employees but also essential services and programs relied upon by millions of Americans. Lawmakers have until the deadline to come to an agreement and prevent the shutdown.
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