After the voting, opposition Democratic lawmakers walked out of the hall. The Democrats are demanding an extension of the pandemic-era tax credits (healthcare subsidies), which would allow millions of Americans to access affordable health insurance.
The shutdown began on Wednesday, following Tuesday’s voting. Currently, all government institutions remain closed. According to NBC, the Senate (upper house) will not hold any votes before Monday. The House of Representatives (lower house) has also cancelled all its votes scheduled until 14 October.
This means the US government shutdown is expected to continue until 14 October. Meanwhile, about 7.5 lakh (750,000) government employees have been placed on furlough, and nearly 300,000 of them may face layoffs.
In the 100-member Senate, there are 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. 2 independent senators have supported the bill.
Support from Democrats is essential for the Republican Party, but currently, they are not willing to vote in favour of the bill.
Republican leader John Thune alleges that Democrats shut down the government under pressure from hardline supporters. The army, border agents, and air traffic controllers are working without pay.
Meanwhile, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said that Trump is refusing to secure America's healthcare program and is responsible for the shutdown.
Speaker Mike Johnson said- The government remaining open was entirely in the hands of the Democrats. If the funding bill had passed, the shutdown could have been averted.
The two major parties in the US, Democrats and Republicans, disagreed with the Obama Health Care subsidy program. Democrats wanted the healthcare (health insurance) subsidy to be increased.
Republicans feared that if the subsidy was increased, the government would need more money to spend, which would affect other government operations.
To prevent the shutdown, President Trump and Democratic leaders met at the White House on Monday, but no conclusion was reached.
Shutdown begins
In America, the government has to pass its budget every year. If Congress does not agree on the budget, the funding bill is not passed, and the money the government receives stops.
Because of this, some government departments and services do not receive money. Non-essential services are shut down. This is called a government shutdown.
The Republican Party is preparing to vote on the funding bill once again late tonight in the Senate. Republican leaders have said that until Democrats support the bill, it will be introduced daily.
Trump has blamed Democrats for this shutdown. He has already threatened to lay off government employees. A government shutdown has occurred in the US since 2019. Before this, a 35-day shutdown occurred during Trump's tenure.
Benefit or loss from the shutdown?
During the shutdown, the Trump administration can decide on essential and non-essential services through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
This allows them to categorise Democrat-backed programs such as education, environment, and health subsidies as non-essential, while giving essential status to defence and immigration. Trump himself has said that many good things will come from the shutdown.
Due to the shutdown, a large number of people may be laid off. 3 lakh federal jobs have already been cut in 2025. This is part of Trump's policy.
Trump is using this to blame the Democrats. The White House instructed federal agencies to blame Democrats, which could be a violation of ethics laws.
Short shutdowns would benefit Trump more, as he could advance his agenda, but a prolonged one could damage his image due to economic losses.
Impact of the shutdown on America?
After a government shutdown in the US, the government will no longer have money for expenses. This will halt everything from salaries for government employees to various other expenditures.
Due to the shutdown, the US government will have to cut its expenses. However, emergency services such as medical services, border security, and air services will continue.
In the last 50 years, the US has experienced a shutdown 20 times due to stalled funding bills. During Trump's previous term alone, the government faced a shutdown 3 times.
The 2019 shutdown lasted for a maximum of 35 days, in which the US economy suffered a loss of 25 thousand crore rupees.
Spending season in America
America's fiscal year, or spending year, begins on October 1. This is essentially the government's financial year, during which it plans its spending and budget.
During this period, the government decides where to allocate money, such as in the military, health, or education. If a new budget is not passed by this date, government operations will shut down. This is called a shutdown.
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