The ongoing conflict among Republican House extremists is causing obstacles in federal spending compromises
The country faces two potential types of government shutdowns, affecting federal functions and decision-making processes
A shutdown could lead to the cessation of certain federal services, furloughs of "non-essential" government staff, and delayed paychecks
The shutdown may impact services like immigration courts and air traffic control
About 7 million low-income clients of the Women, Infants and Children program could be affected by funding suspension
Social Security and Medicare funding will continue during a government shutdown
Critical national security operations, Amtrak, and the Postal Service will remain unaffected
A short-term shutdown might have a modest impact, but a longer one, like the 34-day shutdown in 2018-2019, could be more damaging
The legislative process being shut down by a minority threatens the government's legitimacy, as trust in the federal government is at an all-time low
The reasons for the shutdown often appear unclear, with some motives relating to policy while others seem driven by personal or fundraising interests