How the partial government shutdown could affect you
A partial government shutdown stretched into its third week on Saturday after congressional leaders and President Trump failed to reach a bipartisan funding deal because of a dispute about how much money to allocate to a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
And there's no near-end in sight: Trump, while meeting with Democratic leaders on Friday, reportedly threatened to shutdown the governemnt for "months or even years."
Although about three-fourths of the government remained open, the shutdown still has sweeping ramifications – and not just for the hundreds of thousands of furloughed government employees.
These are some of the unlikely ways that a government shutdown can impact your everyday life.
Tourism: On Wednesday, the Smithsonian Institution announced that all of its museums and the National Zoo will be closed because of the shutdown.
The Smithsonian previously used its prior-year funding to remain open through the end of 2018, but said it planned to close on Wednesday if the shutdown hadn’t ended yet. The animals continue to be cared for.
But it’s not the only national tourism site affected by the shutdown: Arches and Canyonlands in Utah and Yellowstone National Park have announced full or partial closures because of personnel shortages, according to NPR.
Although some national parks, including Yosemite and Joshua Tree in California, remained open, they’re making do with fewer resources – including restrooms.
Because trash collection was suspended due to the shutdown, garbage and human waste are piling up in Yosemite, according to The Los Angeles Times, prompting the closure of two campgrounds.
“We’re afraid that we’re going to start seeing significant damage to the natural resources in parks and potentially to historic and other cultural artifacts,” John Garder, senior budget director of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, told The Associated Press. “We’re concerned there’ll be impacts to visitors’ safety.”
Joshua Tree is also closing campgrounds due to health and safety concerns caused by toilets at near-capacity.
Loans: Several government agencies that give out loans are unable to do so because of a lapse in federal funding.
The Small Business Administration (SBA), which approved more than $30 billion in loans to companies in the fiscal year that ended in 2017, is unable to process the loans, USA Today reports.
It’s also possible that new housing development grants and housing quality inspections could be delayed, along with loans for new homebuyers, according to NPR.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would discontinue the provision of new rural development loans and grants for housing community facilities, utilities and business until the shutdown ends.
Small business: Of the roughly 30 million small businesses across the U.S., many are feeling the pressure because of the shutdown.
Without workers at the SBA to process loan applications, small businesses are forced to look elsewhere for capital, or wait until the budget impasse ends. According to Forbes, during a 16-day government shutdown in 2013 under former President Barack Obama, small business loan approval rates dropped from 50 percent to 44.3 percent at small banks. At big banks, it dropped nearly 20 percent.
Because foot traffic in popular tourist areas is expected to fall, that could hurt nearby small restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts and boutiques.