As of midnight Oct. 1, the United States has been running under a government shutdown, which affects the day-to-day operations of the government’s federal institutions.
A government shutdown occurs when Congress cannot agree to a yearly spending budget. The start of the fiscal year in the U.S. is Oct. 1, so if an agreement is not met by that deadline, a shutdown ensues.
Republicans and Democrats disagree on healthcare status requirements for Americans and undocumented immigrants. Undocumented individuals typically do not receive subsidized healthcare unless it is an emergency situation.
Conservatives largely oppose the notion of healthcare in the U.S. for undocumented immigrants. President Donald Trump has expressed his opinions about the shutdown and the underlying healthcare issue on X and Instagram.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has also made several posts on X showing the consequences of the shutdown and blaming Democrats for their lack of cooperation on passing a spending bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has refuted claims from Johnson and wrote on X that Republicans were to blame for the shutdown.
The financial proposal given to Congress and backed by Republican lawmakers would not seek to renew a large portion of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. This would make several millions of Americans ineligible for healthcare, a large portion of them being undocumented immigrants.
The effects of the shutdown on average citizens will be minimal, unless they hold a governmental position. During a shutdown, people who are deemed essential workers — such as janitors, national guard and the military, plus instructors or professors who get federal pay — will continue to work but will not receive a paycheck until a spending bill is passed
Typically, federal employees receive back pay which covers work done while there is a shutdown and workers aren’t receiving paychecks. However, Trump said that back pay is not guaranteed because Congress still has to allocate funding.
The president, his cabinet and members of Congress still get paid — for example, U.S. House Rep. Virginia Foxx, who represents Watauga County.
Universities usually see minimal consequences in the wake of a government shutdown unless it is longer than normal. The longest shutdown in U.S. history was during Trump’s first term and was 34 days.
App State could potentially see some cuts to federal grant money, primarily for funding research projects. Students can potentially expect delays in their federal loans and loan forgiveness programs, as well as little to no access to Department of Education resources.
