As noted by CBS News, one of the key sticking points between Democrats and Republicans involves healthcare provisions in the proposed bill.
Democrats want provisions in the bill that would help fund healthcare for millions of Americans across the country. They also want restrictions on President Trump’s ability to withhold such healthcare funding. Republicans have so far refused to entertain these provisions.
If a deal can’t be reached, the federal government will shut down on Wednesday, October 1. The shutdown will impact Americans in different ways, depending on their livelihoods and the services they rely on.
Here’s how a government shutdown could affect three large groups of Americans, including Social Security recipients, travelers, and federal workers.
What if I’m a Social Security recipient?
The good news is that if you currently receive Social Security payments, the government shutdown will not stop those payments from being sent to you, reports CBS News. This is no doubt a relief for the 74 million Americans who get Social Security checks every month.
The reason Social Security checks will continue to come is that Social Security spending is mandatory and therefore does not need to be renewed on a yearly basis.
However, some administrative tasks of the Social Security Administration (SSA) could be impacted due to federal workers being furloughed during the shutdown.
This could include “benefit verifications, earnings record corrections and updates, overpayments processing, and replacing Medicare cards,” Max Richtman, CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, told CBS News.
Will a government shutdown delay my flight?
If the government does shut down, not all federal employees who work in travel-related positions will be furloughed.
This is because some of these workers are considered “essential,” so federal law says they must continue working—albeit without pay in many cases.
Essential federal workers include those who work for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CPB). It also includes those who work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including air traffic controllers, as noted by USA Today.
However, while these workers will continue to perform their roles, it’s possible that if the shutdown continues for a long time, some of them could attempt to strike over a lack of pay. If a strike occurs, it could cause delays at airports.