Government Shutdown 2018 Update: What to Know

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A government shutdown may be happening before the end of 2018 due to the country’s two main parties being unable to come to an agreement regarding a highly-disputed issue.

Government Shutdown 2018

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Some cultural gems will be closed if the furlough happens.

The matter in hand is the wall that President Trump wants to build alongside the U.S.-Mexico border to reduce people from Mexico moving stateside. The POTUS is seeking for $5 billion in funding for the wall, while Democratic lawmakers are saying that this number is too high.

Some Democrats do not want any funding to go to the border wall, which poses a problem for Republicans as they need 60 votes in the Senate to pass the law (they only have a 51-seat majority at the moment). If the two parties do not reach a solution on the matter, funding will run out for many major agencies at midnight Dec. 21, leading to a government shutdown before 2018 ends.

The departments that will be affected by the move include Agriculture, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice and others. Independent agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration will also shutter their doors unless a decision is made before the end of the day on Friday.

Roughly 420,000 employees will not be part of the furlough if it does happen as their roles are considered to be essential for the country’s operations. These include the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Transportation Security Administration.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2018/12/government-shutdown-2018-2/.

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