The US government was faced by a shutdown on Thursday, due to a delay in the passing of a crucial federal spending bill.

By Ashna Butani

Federal funding for government services expired on Thursday night. The result was a federal shutdown that caused President Trump to sign the bill within five hours. This was not only the shortest shutdown in US history but also was it the second partial shutdown in less than a month. The 600-page plan proposed an increase in spending on defence and domestic services. With a budget of 300 billion dollars, Trump proudly claims that the military will be stronger than ever.

The government increased their spending by $165 billion on defence and $131 billion on domestic spending. The funds on domestic welfare will be divided amongst the following heads – healthcare, infrastructure and tackling the opioid crisis. The fate of the bill was uncertain as some Senators believed that major national concerns were being overlooked by the bill.

The effect of a shutdown

Several government agencies remained closed on the following day as their future is uncertain. Some employees are not paid, while some are. Military personnel and air traffic controllers are expected to work even when there is a shutdown. Other effects include the halting of NASA’s work, a lag in health information, lack of community healthcare services and the Internal Revenue Service’s inability to file tax returns. All in all, the shutdown not only halts the everyday grind of the White House but also causes a nation-wide crisis.

Understanding the controversy

The bill was initially passed by a majority of 71 to 28. However, a delay was inevitable as Republican Senator Rand Paul voiced to his last minute objections. Fiscal conservatives were afraid of the country’s growing debt. These fears manifested in Rand’s speech as he said his colleagues were responsible for ‘spending us into oblivion.’ US debt has trebled in the last 30 years. He took the stage to criticise the increase in spending limits. The Republican also pointed at the fiscal irresponsibility of his own party. Both parties criticised him, claiming that his speech was a colossal waste of time.

While Rand Paul’s speech was instrumental in causing the shutdown, other Democrats were unhappy with certain aspects of the bill. Democrat Nancy Pelosi called for a bill that included provisions for ‘dreamers’ – the young immigrants who entered the US as children and received no aid under the Donald Trump administration. Obama administration guaranteed the rights of these immigrants, but these guarantees were whitewashed as Trump came to power.

The result

Eventually, liberals complained that the democratic priority of shielding immigrants does no good. At the same time, the fiscal conservatives’ concerns were overlooked. The bill was eventually passed by a majority of 240 to 186. Early on Friday morning, the President gave his assent by signing the bill.

Featured Image Source: Pexels

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