10 ways the partial government shutdown is impacting the lives of average Americans
A partial shutdown of the federal government on December 21 complicated things for several select government agencies and services.
Though all essential government services remain open, Americans may feel the shutdown's effects while trying to use the services of various agencies, including national parks and museums.
See the ways the shutdown is affecting average Americans.
After lawmakers came to a gridlock over a spending deal, the federal government entered a partial shutdown on December 21.
The shutdown does not affect the entire federal government but does impact a slew of agencies, including the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, the Interior, State, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
See the shutdown's effects on everyday Americans:
Many national parks have closed campgrounds to visitors to prevent facilities including trash sites and toilets from overflowing.
Park closures have prevented at least one wedding, and can potentially create greater risk for visitors because of reduced staffing.
The parks that remain open rely on volunteers and visitors to clean up after themselves.
The National Zoo, in addition to the 17 museums run by the Smithsonian closed their doors several days into the shutdown after running out of emergency funding.
The shutdown has also affected the Washington DC courts, which are funded by the federal government. They have closed the Marriage Bureau, stopped bar admissions, shut down the judicial library, and stopped providing child-care for employees.
These closures mean couples looking to obtain marriage licenses or get married during the shutdown are out of luck for now, while DC Mayor Muriel Bowser pushes emergency legislation to secure temporary authority over the licenses.
The approximately 40 million people who receive food stamps will only be able to get the benefit through January if the shutdown continues. Other aid programs geared towards child nutrition, including school lunch and breakfast programs, will also continue operating into February.
Benefits including Social Security, disability checks, and Medicare are unaffected by the shutdown.
Around 800,000 Americans who are employed by the government are currently furloughed or working without pay until the shutdown ends.
Employees with the Transportation Security Administration were deemed essential and are currently being forced to work without pay. A CNN report said "hundreds" of TSA officers were calling out of the unpaid work, potentially compromising airport security and increasing wait times.
Tens of thousands of employees working without pay are in law enforcement departments including the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the Secret Service.
With no end in sight, further effects from the shutdown are unclear as lawmakers tangle with President Donald Trump over a deal.
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Vocabulary:
1. shut·down /noun : a closure of a factory or system, typically a temporary closure due to a malfunction or for maintenance.
2. grid·lock /noun: a traffic jam affecting
3. camp·ground / noun : a place used for camping, especially one equipped with cooking grills, water, and toilets.
Questions:
1. The first section of an article should answer the questions "Who?", "What?", "When?", and "Where?" Identify the four Ws of this article. (Note: The rest of the news article provides details on the why and/or how.)
2, Does this article have any bias? Why or why not?
3. What is a government shutdown? When did this shutdown begin? Explain the cause(s) of the shutdown in your own words. Do you think these are legitimate reasons to shut down the government?
4. Name one program affected by the shutdown. How has it been affected? What are the consequences of these effects?
5. Which programs are not currently affected by the shutdown?
6. Has the shutdown affected you and your family or the people in your community? How?
7. Imagine you are acting as a mediator for the U.S. government. How would you negotiate an end to the shutdown? Would you recommend a compromise? Which solutions would you support?
