The country is mere hours away from a potential government shutdown. But what exactly does that mean?
Less than 8 hours remain until a possible government shutdown.
But what exactly would a shutdown look like?
According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, approximately 825,000 federal workers would be temporarily furloughed.
Thousands of government employees deemed “exempted” from the shutdown would have to continue to show up to work, but for nothing more than an IOU.
Members of the military will still receive timely paychecks even in the event of a government shutdown, thanks to Congress. NBC’s Kasie Hunt reports that on Monday, the Senate unanimously accepted a House-passed bill exempting military pay from the shutdown.
If Congress had not acted, troops would have been expected to continue to work, but would likely have experienced delays in payment.
NASA, the EPA and the Department of Commerce would essentially shut down, with the vast majority of their employees forced to stay at home.
For Americans on the receiving end of government services, the impact could be devastating.
Nutrition assistance for women, infants, and children would shutter. Government-backed loans to small businesses would be suspended. And expiring Head Start grants would not be renewed. (You can read the Associated Press’s full list of shutdown effects here.)
But the consequences of a shutdown pale in comparison to the larger risk posed by a potential debt default in several weeks. As Ezra Klein writes, “A shutdown, after all, is just bad for the economy. A default is catastrophic for it.”
Klein joined NOW With Alex Wagner Monday to discuss the consequences and prospects for a shutdown. Watch the clip above.