Which parts of the US government will be shut down?
With the deadline for the approval of the budget bill in the US Congress approaching, and the risk of a government shutdown and the Republicans not agreeing on the approval of this bill, many government services in this country will be disrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be sent on unpaid leave.
According to the report, many government agencies and institutions have not updated their previously prepared shutdown plans.
Below we introduce the departments that will remain open and the departments that will be closed if the budget bill is not approved for the new fiscal year:
Military
About 2 million US military personnel will remain in their positions, but about half of the Pentagon’s 800,000 civilian employees will be placed on unpaid leave.
Contracts from before the government shutdown will continue and the Pentagon can issue new orders for services and resources needed to defend national security, no new contracts will be signed. Payments to defense contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are also delayed.
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Energy Division will continue to maintain its nuclear arsenal.
Police department (law enforcement)
Under the Justice Department’s 2021 plan, agencies such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal law enforcement agencies will continue to operate, and prison staff will remain on the job.
Criminal cases, including two of Donald Trump’s, will continue in the judicial system, but often citizen lawsuits will be delayed, as will aid intended for local police departments.
Also, according to the plan of the Ministry of Internal Security in 2022, immigration enforcement agencies and border patrols will continue to work as usual. The Secret Service and the Coast Guard also conduct operations.
At the same time, most of the employees of the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection division, as well as half of the antitrust division’s employees, are suspended.
Federal courts
The federal courts have enough funds to last until at least October 13, some activities may be postponed after that date, and the Supreme Court will also continue to operate.
Transportation Department
Airport security officers, who are responsible for screening passengers, and air traffic control staff will continue to work, training for new air traffic control officers will be halted, and the issuance of permits for some important infrastructure projects, such as environmental projects, will be delayed.
foreign Affairs
US embassies and consulates abroad remain open. The process of issuing visas and passports will continue as soon as sufficient funds are allocated, in addition, travel, lectures and other non-essential official events will be reduced, some foreign aid programs will also be canceled.
National parks and natural resources
It is not yet clear whether national parks and other such places will be affected by this closure or not. According to the closure plan announced by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2022, measures related to wildlife protection will continue, but there will be less timber sales in the national forests and fewer permits will be issued for this work.
Science Department
Scientific research by institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be disrupted due to the suspension of most of their staff and researchers.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will continue to support the International Space Station and tracking satellites, but 17,000 of its 18,300 employees will be furloughed.
Weather forecasting and fisheries will continue to work, and new drugs and new medical devices will continue to be tested.
Health Department
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to investigate various outbreaks, while other activities in the public health division will be affected, and more than half of the division’s staff will be furloughed. The National Institutes of Health often puts employees on unpaid leave and delays new clinical trials for medical treatments.
Health and wellness services for retirees and Americans will continue. Most inspections of toxic waste sites and drinking water and chemical facilities will be halted, and food hygiene and safety inspections by the Ministry of Food and Drug Administration will be delayed.
Financial regulations
The Securities and Exchange Commission is suspending about 90 percent of its 4,600 employees and canceling some activities, keeping only those employees necessary to respond.
Meanwhile, the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission is suspending almost all of its staff.
The central bank, the Federal Depository Corporation, and the Office of Monetary Evaluation also continue to operate as usual, funded by industry rather than Congress.
Economic data section
The release of key economic data by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, including monthly unemployment rates, will be suspended from October 6, and price reports from the following week, as well as reports from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census Bureau.
Social security, health care, and other benefits
Social Security continues to address retirement and disability benefits, and payments continue under health and wellness programs. Military retiree benefits will also continue to be paid, but food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be affected, and grocery stores will not be able to renew their licenses.