Airports, paychecks, parks – how Shutdown may hit Americans?

Many government workers will go unpaid until the impasse ends

The United States government has entered a shutdown after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a budget deal, throwing public services and federal workers into uncertainty.

The BBC reports that the deadlock over funding could disrupt government operations through October and beyond.

Across the country, citizens may face inconveniences ranging from air travel delays to zoo closure cancellations.

Around 750,000 federal workers -- nearly 40 percent of the workforce -- could be placed on unpaid leave, with many others required to continue working without pay.

Essential staff, including border patrol, law enforcers, in-hospital medical workers and air-traffic controllers, are expected to continue working but without pay until the shutdown ends.

Travellers could face long queues at airport security checks, while flight delays are possible if staff from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and air-traffic control call in sick.

Passport offices have also warned that processing documents may take longer than usual.

During the last shutdown in 2018-19, absences among security workers disrupted flights nationwide.

Americans planning overseas travel may encounter problems as passport services slow. Domestic travel is also likely to be affected if flight operations are forced to reduce capacity.

Federal workers face the hardest impact, as they will not receive pay during the shutdown. Past experience shows many have been forced to take second jobs to support themselves, with non-essential staff ordered to remain at home.

Five government departments are expected to face the largest furloughs -- defence, health, commerce, state and NASA -- according to CBS News, a BBC media partner.

Research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may also halt, disrupting ongoing projects and experiments.

National parks, federal lands and wildlife reserves could close. During the 2018–19 shutdown, parks that remained open without staff faced vandalism, theft and environmental damage, prompting conservationists to call for a complete closure this time.

Smithsonian museums will remain open until Oct 6, as the institution has funds to keep operating temporarily.

The Smithsonian-run zoo will continue caring for animals, but its popular live webcams featuring pandas, elephants and lions will go offline.

Health services such as Medicare and Medicaid will continue, but staffing shortages may cause delays in service. Programmes for women and children, including the WIC nutrition scheme, could run short of funds.

Federal flood insurance could lapse, delaying mortgage approvals, while disaster relief funds under FEMA may run out if the shutdown lasts longer.

Mail delivery will continue as usual, since the US Postal Service operates independently of congressional funding.

Most public schools are state-funded, but the federal government provides billions in grants and student loans. The education secretary has said because grants are awarded during the summer, the current shutdown will have limited impact on schools.