The U.S. Government is poised to enter a partial government shutdown that will last at least a few days at midnight tonight due to the lapse of a funding deadline. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) confirmed that they have begun “the process of preparing for a lapse.”
Congress is expected to fail a deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to fund several major federal agencies. The House still needs to approve the funding plan that the Senate passed late Friday, but that body isn't anticipated back until Monday.
Read more: Trump, Democrats say deal reached to avert shutdown
What is a partial shutdown, and what does it mean for Americans?
A partial shutdown basically means that funding for several key agencies will lapse tonight, and operations will halt in several departments while others continue to function in a limited capacity.
The inability of Congress to approve all 12 yearly appropriations bills required to fund the federal government for the current fiscal year is the root of the current impasse.
Given the current situation, many government agencies that are focused on markets, such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are likely to experience a brief funding lapse.
{{/usCountry}}Given the current situation, many government agencies that are focused on markets, such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are likely to experience a brief funding lapse.
{{/usCountry}}Other than these, funding for Health and Human Services, Defense, Education, Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development is also set to halt at midnight.
Affected agencies will put non-essential staff on furlough and might have to have critical workers work unpaid until funding is restored. IRS, for example, told employees that if the closure continues into the following week, all employees will be "exempt from furlough" through Saturday, February 7.
This is because the agency began this year’s tax filing season last week.
Read more: Govt shutdown update: When will new DHS stopgap bill pass House, Senate?
Why did we head towards a partial shutdown?
On Friday, the Senate approved a spending plan that was predicated on an agreement between House Democrats and President Donald Trump about Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.
In order to facilitate additional discussion on demands for immigration enforcement reform, Senate leaders and the White House reached a bipartisan agreement to split financing for the DHS from the larger package.
Democrats called for more curbs on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement push after Border Patrol agents shot Alex Pretti dead on January 24.