On October 1st, the government has shut down meaning that the people who keep the country running suddenly have to stop working for pay and millions of lives are put at a pause.

When the government shuts down it’s like the country hits a pause button. This happens when congress can’t agree on how to spend money by the start of the new fiscal year. The government needed an approved budget by October 1st to keep running, but since they couldn’t agree, many federal offices have to close until they reach a deal.

Officer Jacoub Shrader explains how “the shutdown affects government employees because it will put a lot of stress on some of them and affect others that won’t receive pay and benefits”.

During the shutdown, only important services like the military, air traffic control, and emergency programs keep working. Other government employees don’t come to work or get paid until the shutdown ends. This can cause many problems for families who depend on those paychecks.

Officer Jacoub Shrader stated that “ I absolutely think that the government shutting down affects everyday people more than politicians because it displays that the government can’t seem to agree on anything and that doesn’t provide a good sense of security for everyday citizens”.

The effects quickly spread. National parks close, passports take longer to process, and the government aid programs can slow down. Even though the government shutdown seems like it only affects politicians it actually affects real people across the county like workers, travelers, students, and families. In the end, the government reopens once congress and the president agree on a budget.