government shuts down, much of the science that it supports is not spared,” writes Angela Wilson of Michigan State University. Read more: The shutdown will harm the health and safety of Americans, even after it's long over Science suffers “First responders and emergency experts use the off season to prepare for the next disaster season, but reports show that the prolonged shutdown is preventing some of this preparation, such as training for essential staff and forecasters,” Wendelbo explains. Similarly, government employees tasked with managing forests prone to fires were affected by the shutdown. Among those temporarily sent home in that shutdown were hurricane modelers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was forced to cease working on a several projects, and even those that continued were impacted by staff shortages as a result of federal furloughs. Disaster preparedness was one of the areas affected. This manifested in a number of ways during the 2018-19 shutdown. Shutdowns don’t affect only the financial well-being of the U.S.Īs Morten Wendelbo at American University School of Public Affairs writes, disruption to business-as-usual can harm the government’s ability to provide health services and protect the public from disasters. Read more: What's the economic impact of a government shutdown? The impact on health and safety “In addition, the longer the shutdown lasts, the worse its impact,” Baker notes. Given the challenging times the restaurant trade has had during the pandemic, any additional disruption would come as a further blow. When people tighten their purse strings, eating out is one of the first things to go. One area of particular concerns is restaurants. As Baker explains, it has a ripple effect on local businesses. This is a problem not just for federal employees and their families. For households with a member furloughed in the shutdown, the drop in consumer spending almost doubled. One short-term consequence of not paying so many people is that it provides a short-term brake on consumer spending, according to Scott Baker, a professor of finance at Northwestern University.Īnalyzing the impact of the 2013 government shutdown – which saw some federal workers furloughed for more than two weeks – Baker found that it led to an immediate 10% decline in average spending for households in which at least one member worked for an affected federal agency. Read more: Who are the federal workers affected by the shutdown? 5 questions answered What happens to consumer spending Salaries vary along with the roles, but, as of 2017, the average federal salary was US$69,344. In fact, federal workers “are employed in over 300 different occupations,” Ertas notes. The work they perform ranges from protecting waterways and ensuring food safety to investigating crime. She explained that the vast majority of federal employees work and live outside of Washington, D.C. Nevbahar Ertas at the University of Alabama at Birmingham broke down those numbers for The Conversation. Of those, around 380,000 were furloughed, meaning they could not work or get paid, while the rest worked without pay for the duration of the shutdown. In the shutdown of 2018-2019, some 800,000 workers were affected by the government shutdown. Republicans could shame them into a deal by focusing on the offer to extend the children's health programme.Īlternatively, the Republicans could shift their position on DACA or at least make some more concessions.The federal workforce currently comprises around 2.1 million civilian employees. The Democrats could capitulate, but that currently seems unlikely. This time, the American Federation of Government Employees estimates about 850,000 workers, out of a total 3.5 million, could be told to stay home without pay until Congress reaches an agreement. During the two-week shutdown in October 2013, around 800,000 workers were granted leave. He warned that the consequences of a shutdown would be "devastating". A White House spokesperson then issued a clarification stating that Mr Trump did actually support the House measure.Īt the Pentagon, the President told reporters the government "could very well" shut down. His tweet appeared to contradict his own party's strategy. The President caused confusion on Thursday morning when he tweeted: "CHIP should be part of a long-term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!". Image: Donald Trump caused confusion with a tweet on the shutdown threat
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