Government shutdown continues, Senate votes fail
The government remains closed over the weekend. The two Democrats and independents voted to end the closure, but a 54-44 vote shortened Republicans.
Partial US federal government closure reached the week’s mark as the clock struck in Washington, DC on Tuesday, October 7th.
The 15th shutdown since 1981 was the fourth-longest in US history, halting a six-day shutdown in 1995. The longest closure lasted for 35 days during Trump’s first term from 2018 to 2019.
The pressure to end the standoffs could be mounted next week when 1.3 million active duty forces, hundreds of thousands of active duty members of the National Guard and hundreds of thousands of active duty members of the Department of Defense are not paid on October 15th as planned.
What should we know here as the federal shutdown enters day 7?
How to follow the latest information on government closures
USA Today follows the shutdown via its daily live blog. Find stories about the impact of the shutdown below and other information.
Is the federal government still closed?
Yes, the federal government remains largely closed.
Salaries have been suspended for around 2 million federal workers, with around 750,000 people being ordered not to report jobs. Other employees, including military and air traffic controllers, must work without compensation until budget contracts are reached.
What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but it will hit 12% of staff and suspend marketing campaigns, according to agency closure plans.
Similarly, payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.
Will food aid continue under SNAP and WIC?
According to a closure planning plan document issued by the US Department of Agriculture, special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children known as WIC, and special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children known as WIC, will continue with special supplementary nutrition programs known as WIC, and special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children.
Will US email be sent?
USPS said in a statement that the USPS would not be affected because it does not rely on Congress. The post office is open.
How about the airport?
Over 13,000 air traffic controllers and approximately 50,000 transport security managers will need to appear at work during the closure. They are not paid and the controllers are set to miss their first pay on October 14th.
What does shutdown mean to the military?
Unless Congress officially changes its name, nearly two million U.S. military personnel will remain unpaid until the closure ends, based on an executive order from Trump, based on an executive order from the newly appointed War Bureau, officially the Pentagon.
The National Guard that Trump deployed in American cities must also continue to work.
What about law enforcement, borders, and homeland security?
Agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Bureau, the Coast Guard and other federal law enforcement agencies will continue to work.
Department of Justice staff administering the immigration court system will mostly remain at work, as Trump declared illegal immigration as a national emergency.
Contributors: Joey Garrison, Zachary Schermell, Terry Moseley – USA TODAY; And Reuters
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA Today. Contact her at nalund @usatoday.com and follow her at x @nataliealund.
