Government shutdown temporarily averted

In separate votes Saturday, Sept. 30, Congress passed a stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government operating for the next 45 days.

Missouri's junior U.S. senator, freshman Eric Schmitt, was among nine senators to vote "no" on the measure to enable Washington to keep functioning until Friday, Nov. 17, effectively kicking the budget can down the road.

Josh Hawley, the Show Me State's senior senator, voted "yes" as did Southeast Missouri Rep. Jason Smith, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who was a proponent of the compromise.

Senate approval was on an 88-9 vote, while the House gave its OK in similarly overwhelming fashion, 335-91.

A government shutdown, according to an analysis by Reuters News Service, would have the following impact if it comes in mid-November:

• Nearly 2.2 million federal workers would not be paid, although they would receive back pay when normal operations resume. Essential workers would stay on the job without on-time compensation while others would be furloughed.
• Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid: Payments would continue to go out as usual.
• Military: Uniformed personnel would remain at their posts and military veterans' payments would not be interrupted.
• Other benefits: Women, Infants & Children (WIC) payments would be cut within days of shutdown; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food aid would continue at least through October.
• National parks: Closed and park rangers furloughed.
• Homeland security: Border patrol agents would continue to work.
• Federal courts: Continue to operate, at least for a couple of weeks.
• Transportation: Air traffic control workers required to work although new ATC training would cease, leaving the system understaffed.
• IRS: Examination and auditing of tax returns would stop and taxpayer inquiries will go unanswered. Nearly two-thirds of the agency's staff would be laid off.
• Disaster response: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be in danger of running out of money to respond to emergencies.
• Child care: An estimated 10,000 children would lose access to Head Start preschool program.
• Housing: New homebuyers in rural areas would be unable to get loans from the Agriculture Department.
• Mail delivery: As the Postal Service is not dependent on funding authorized by Congress, mail delivery would be unaffected.
• Congress: Members of the U.S. House and Senate continue to be paid, even as other federal workers are not.

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