Millions of Americans could temporarily lose life-saving funding from the federal government before the year ends. Government shutdowns have happened numerous times throughout American history as Congress fails to pass a spending bill before the term for the previous one ends.
The federal government entered its current shutdown on Sept. 30 at midnight, leaving numerous federal programs unfunded or unstaffed. It occurred as a result of a lack of bipartisan support because the issue is more complex than that.
Since the 1990s, Congress has used Continuing Resolutions (CR), which are temporary funding bills, to keep the government operating, as opposed to larger spending bills that fund large portions of the government. The last CR expired on Sept. 30. To end the shutdown, Congress will likely have to pass the CR currently being debated. It has remained nearly identical since 2023.
The current bill includes appropriations to extend the government lifeline until Nov. 21, which would provide a small but ample window to adopt a new spending bill that will last well into 2026.
CRs are typically barebones legislation. They keep the lights on in most federal buildings, maintaining only essential staff (who work without pay until the next CR is passed) and furlough all nonessential employees. This one also funds services essential to national security and veterans’ aid.
CRs require a simple majority in the House of Representatives (majority of voting members present) and a three-fifths majority in the Senate (60 out of the 100 senators). However, Republicans only have 53 Senate seats, meaning at least seven Democrats must vote in the bill’s favor.
The government is prohibited from spending money that has not been allocated yet through Congressional funding. So, agencies have to make tough decisions in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget to determine what stays open or is halted and who is fired or furloughed.
Although Congress passes individual funding acts for every cabinet on an annual basis at a different time, most core functions of the federal government and some federal programs are funded from the fiscal year starting every Oct. 1 and ending on Sept. 30 of the next year.
Democrats drew their line in the sand this time around over the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Premium tax credits from the ACA (which make up about 6% of the entire healthcare budget), which passed in 2010 during the Obama administration, are set to expire at the end of December. This would raise healthcare costs for, primarily, millions of middle and low-income Americans.
Democrats are fighting to renew the subsidies out of concern that Republicans will push the issue to the side when the shutdown ends. Republican leaders, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Vice President JD Vance, have claimed that Democrats want to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries rebuked that claim, responding that “Federal law prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to provide medical coverage to undocumented individuals. That’s the law. And there is nothing in anything that we have proposed that is trying to change that law.”
Despite a common interest in reopening the government as soon as possible, there has been little bipartisan negotiation.
While the politicians feud, the impacts of the shutdown reach across the country, including Louisiana. While active military members continue carrying out normal operations, they do so without pay.
National Parks and Forests usually go unstaffed because park rangers won’t get paid, putting parks at risk of vandalism and trash accumulation.
State and local programs don’t feel the impacts immediately because federal money is usually sent in block grants, so any federal dollars allocated before Sept. 30 won’t be affected. Healthcare and food subsidy programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits and Social Security are considered essential and will continue running, but service will become more delayed as the shutdown continues.
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy addressed the Senate floor on Sept. 30 about the effects on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He said, “It means that the National Flood Insurance Program cannot renew policies. That’s 500,000 people in Louisiana, millions across the country left uninsured in the middle of hurricane season.”
An AP-NORC poll from Oct. 9-13 shows that neither political party has gained any popularity by waiting in gridlock. It should be expected, however, that whichever party caves will lose favorability and the other will gain. As of Oct. 19, the Senate is still debating the bill.