The United States teeters on the brink of a complete government shutdown, a situation fueled by an ongoing political impasse involving demands from right-wing congressional Republicans for substantial cuts in public spending.

This crisis has been exacerbated by profound ideological divisions within the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. If a resolution is not reached, funding for federal agencies will exhaust itself by midnight on September 30th. This deadline looms just on the cusp of the new financial year, making it crucial for Congress to pass all 12 appropriations bills in time to ensure smooth government operations.

The ramifications of this looming crisis are far-reaching. It has the potential to disrupt a wide array of public services, cause delays in salary disbursements, and could inflict substantial harm on the national economy if it were to persist.

At the heart of this impending upheaval is the uncertain position of Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Speaker. McCarthy has come under fire from members of his own party for agreeing to spending limits in collaboration with President Joe Biden. These limits, which are perceived as overly generous by members of the GOP’s far-right “Freedom Caucus,” have spurred an urgent call for pruning.

But what exactly occurs during a U.S. government shutdown? When such an event takes place, thousands of federal government employees are placed on furlough. In essence, they are instructed not to report to work and do not receive compensation for the duration of the shutdown. However, their salaries are ultimately paid retroactively once the shutdown concludes.