Federal employees face uncertainty as shutdown deadline nears

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — The U.S. government faces a potential shutdown in just over 24 hours, which would impact hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

If a spending proposal is not passed, federal employees would be forced to either stay home or work without pay, just before the holiday season.

Federal agencies have contingency plans in place, which would allow essential services to continue. These include:

— FBI and Border Patrol operations
— Coast Guard and TSA services
— Postal Service operations (as an independent agency)

However, non-essential services would be impacted, including:

— National parks and monuments, which would close
— Department of Defense employees, who would be furloughed
— Courts, which could be impacted, with civil issues paused and criminal prosecutions continuing
— Troops, who would remain at their posts but may experience interrupted pay

Social Security and Medicare benefits would continue to be distributed, but new applications may be delayed.

A spending proposal failed to pass in the House on Thursday, with a vote of 174-235. Thirty-eight Republicans voted against the proposal, while two Democrats supported it.

The situation remains fluid, and negotiations are ongoing.

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