"The United States federal government shut down at 12:01am East Coast time (04:01 GMT) on Wednesday after Congress failed to pass a new spending bill, forcing operations considered inessential to close. President Donald Trump has threatened to use the budget deadlock to push through mass layoffs of federal employees. Democrats and Republicans remain divided over spending priorities as Democrats push to protect healthcare, social programmes and foreign aid while Republicans demand cuts."
"A government shutdown happens when Congress does not agree on a budget, so parts of the federal government have to close until a spending plan is approved. Shutdowns tend to happen in October because the government's fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. The current budget process was established in 1976. Since then, the government has had 20 funding gaps, resulting in 10 shutdowns."
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass a budget or continuing resolution, leaving the federal government without legal authority to spend. The fiscal year runs October 1–September 30, which makes shutdowns common in October. Since the current budget process began in 1976, there have been 20 funding gaps and 10 shutdowns, the longest lasting 35 days. Before the 1980s agencies often continued operating during gaps, but Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti's legal opinions after 1980 limited spending without congressional approval. Shutdowns close non-essential operations while essential services continue. Political disputes over healthcare, social programmes, foreign aid and spending cuts drive the impasses.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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