On 1 October, the new financial year began in the United States, but Congress was unable to approve the budget. As a result, the government found itself in a state of shutdown, a partial suspension of government operations.
Formally, the federal government has no funds to pay civil servants. More than 750,000 civil servants have been forced to take unpaid leave. In the meantime, the most essential classes of workers (military personnel, medical and security personnel) are still working, but for now without compensation.
The most contentious point of difference between the Democrats and Republicans is the funding of the healthcare system. Democrats oppose the bill, which they believe will add yet another layer of complexity to citizens’ access to medical treatment. Republicans are calling for a seven-week short-term extension of government funding. The parties have not been able to agree on this so far, and the prospects of an exit from the crisis remain unclear.
This is not new to the United States. The government has closed down operations 15 times since 1981. The longest shutdown occurred in 2018–2019 and lasted 35 days, setting a record for duration.
According to CNN, each shutdown has its own characteristics. In general, the structures responsible for protecting the lives and property of citizens continue to function. However, the budget freeze paralyses the work of a number of departments and slows down the consideration of legislative initiatives. Congress is focused exclusively on finding a compromise on the budget.
