Many government services are at risk of shutting down in a matter of days due to a lack of funding. To prevent this, a political agreement must be reached on taking on new debt, but such an agreement is yet to be reached.
The United States has what is known as a debt ceiling, which is the maximum amount of debt the government is allowed to have outstanding. This ceiling is nearly reached, and it can only be raised if there is an agreement among representatives in the House of Representatives.
However, time is running out. An agreement to raise the ceiling must be reached by the end of the day on Saturday, September 30. Otherwise, the U.S. government will have to make significant spending cuts.
Reaching an agreement seems far from certain, primarily because a faction within the Republican Party is taking a hard stance against it. These party members consider raising the debt ceiling irresponsible and want the government to get its finances in order instead of taking on additional debt.
While there is a majority in the House in favor of raising the ceiling, the rebellious faction of the Republican Party threatens to push for the removal of Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy if he attempts to gain a majority through the Democratic party.
As a result, both parties are actively searching for alternative ways to reach an agreement. If an agreement is not reached by Saturday evening, only essential government services will remain operational starting on Sunday.
This includes border security, lifeguards, and departments responsible for national security. On the other hand, other services will be closed, such as town halls and the oversight of national parks. Some segments of the military may be sent home, and garbage collection may be affected.
Hundreds of thousands, or possibly even millions of Americans, may temporarily go without pay. Once the shutdown ends, they will receive the unpaid wages.
Raising the debt ceiling in the United States frequently leads to problems. Since 1980, the government has temporarily shut down approximately ten times. The longest period was 35 days, which occurred in the winter of 2018 and 2019.
About the author: Christy Olsen
Christy Olsen, a young author who followed in her father's footsteps and took up journalism at school. She often introduces a lot of subjective things into his texts, always tries to state the essence and give a proper assessment.
