Barring any breakthroughs in negotiations, the federal government will shut down Sunday.
A group of hardline conservatives in the U.S. House is demanding more spending cuts before agreeing to pass the federal budget by Saturday’s deadline.
Observing from the U.S. Senate, Republican Josh Hawley said he thinks shutdowns should be illegal.
“I think we ought to pass the bill I’m sponsoring, which would end government shutdowns,” he told Missourinet. “(It) would ban them. It would say ‘you can’t close down the government at the federal level.’ If the budget runs out, then last year’s budget kicks in and Congress doesn’t get to leave town until it finishes its work.”
Hawley called any potential shutdown “stupid.”
“We will continue to work; my team, my offices will be open,” he said. “I would just say to folks out there if you need help with anything, we are here to work. We’re not going to shut down. I mean, we’re going to keep on working.”
If the government does shut down, all federal offices and services deemed non-essential will cease operations Sunday. CNBC reports that WIC participants would likely experience delays in getting nutritional benefits for their children within days, while SNAP participants would only experience delays if the shutdown lasts more than two weeks.
National parks and monuments across the country will close, including the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Non-essential workers will be furloughed without pay. Essential government workers will still be on the job, including postal workers, military personnel, air traffic controllers, and TSA workers – though many of them could go without pay.
The president and members of Congress will continue to get paid.
Copyright 2023, Missourinet.
