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With that, here is the news you missed:
The United States government is barreling toward a government shutdown right now as Senate Republicans do not have the votes to keep the government open. One day after House Republicans passed a controversial continuing resolution to keep the government open until September, Senate Democrats announced that they will NOT allow Senate Republicans to pass the resolution, thereby leaving the future of government funding in the balance.
Unlike House Republicans which needed a simple majority, Senate Republicans need 60 votes to pass the continuing resolution. Right now, they don’t even have unanimous support within their own caucus as Rand Paul has already said that he will not support the resolution.
If the government does shutdown, here’s what to expect.
Federal Employees Will Be Furloughed. First, hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed without pay. The moment the government runs out of funding, all government employees will officially lose their paycheck, with only essential employees being required to work. Essential employees include those relating to our nation's security and public safety. Because of this, TSA agents, Border Patrol, most federal prosecutors and other essential employees will remain working. However, they will not be paid during the shutdown. Meanwhile, all employees not deemed "essential" will be furloughed without pay for the duration of the shutdown. Once the government shutdown is lifted, all federal employees will receive backpay.
National Parks Will Close. Second, national parks will either close or run understaffed. In several past government shutdowns, national parks closed completely, however during the most recent shutdown in 2019, many parks remained open with minimal staff. These parks, if they remain open this time around, will likely function without restroom, trash collection, facilities, or road maintenance.
Social Security Benefits Will Be Impacted. Third, Social Security and Medicare will be severely affected. Although payments will continue as scheduled, it is likely that both federal programs will cease accepting new applicants and will not issue new cards to applicants. During the 1995-96 shutdown, over 10,000 applicants were turned away.
EPA Inspections Could Stop. Fourth, it is likely that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop all site inspection for areas that contain hazardous waste, drinking water, and chemical facilities, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could halt or delay inspections of facilities and/ or products. Both have previously occurred, once during the 2012 shutdown and again in 2019.
Air Travel Could Be Impacted. Fifth, air travel will be impacted. Although TSA agents and air traffic control will continue to operate, consumers will face longer lines and longer wait times at the airports as fewer agents will be staffed during this time.
The U.S. Department of Labor, under the Trump administration, has discontinued backup child care and certain other benefits previously provided to its employees.
The Social Security Administration, under pressure from the Department of Government Ethics (DOGE), is considering significant cuts to its phone service, which millions rely on for claims processing.
In a recent interview, Steve Bannon declined to rule out a potential 2028 presidential bid, stating his primary focus is on supporting President Trump and advancing the America First agenda.
The U.S. budget deficit rose to $307 billion in February, an increase from $296 billion the previous year.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Trump administration is advancing a comprehensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft's business practices, focusing on areas such as software licensing, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence products.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order that targeted the law firm Perkins Coie, pausing restrictions on government contracts for its clients and barring firm employees from federal buildings.
Rep. Jamie Raskin warned that Trump administration officials could face criminal and civil penalties for violating court orders, accusing Trump of illegally withholding congressionally approved funds, undermining federal agencies, ousting agency heads, and attempting to access sensitive government data.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
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