The federal government shut down early Wednesday after lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill by the Oct. 1 deadline.
The Associated Press reports Republicans supported a measure to fund the government at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it as their health care concerns weren’t addressed.
“Non-excepted” employees — those whose jobs are considered non-essential — must be furloughed due to the lapse in funding. “Excepted” staffers, whose jobs protect life and property, have to keep working. But they won’t be paid until the shutdown ends.
That includes FBI investigators, CIA officers, armed forces members, air traffic controllers and agents operating airport checkpoints.
Salt Lake City-based meteorologist David Church says he and other National Weather Service employees must also keep working amid the shutdown.
“We'll still be ensuring that the forecast information is getting out, the radar data is getting out, that our watches, warnings and advisories are not interrupted because we’re here to serve that public safety mission,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Friday.
Programs relying on mandatory spending also generally continue during a shutdown, AP reports. That means Social Security payments will still go out and Medicare coverage and health care programs for Veterans continue.
