If Congress fails to pass the resolution to fund the government by Saturday, millions of federal workers could go on vacation without pay. They could be made redundant or asked to work without pay.
That includes some members of the military and other essential government workers, such as TSA agents and air traffic controllers, just as the holiday travel craze begins.
Some federal government contractors are not guaranteed back pay, like federal employees, which could have devastating consequences for workers who live paycheck to paycheck.
Despite efforts to avoid closure, plans are still being made in case a deal is not reached by Saturday’s deadline. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has already been in contact with agencies about their plans in the event of a government shutdown, an OMB official told ABC News. The official said the first communication with the agencies about their closure plans took place last Friday.
This communication is part of OMB’s procedure, which is required by law, stipulating that one week before the expiration of appropriations bills, the office must “communicate with senior agency officials to remind agencies their responsibilities to review and update orderly closure plans” and “to share a draft communications template to inform employees of the status of credits.”
A TSA employee works behind plexiglass screens at Ronald Reagan National Airport, July 22, 2020.
Evelyn Hockstein/For the Washington Post via Getty Images, FILE
The procedure also states that the White House office must continue to communicate with agencies before any anticipated closure. The policy states that approximately two business days before funding is scheduled to end, “agencies must notify employees of the status of funding.”
ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott spoke with a federal contractor as a shutdown loomed last year, who said the 35-day government shutdown in 2018 took him months to recover financially.
Lawmakers in Congress continue to negotiate a deal that would keep the government funded. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told ABC News on Wednesday that lawmakers had a “productive” late-night meeting in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office.
“We’re going to continue working through the night into the morning to come up with an agreement that we can present,” Scalise said, adding that he hoped the House could “work it out” on Thursday.
The United States Capitol building in Washington, DC
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Johnson’s original plan called for extending government spending at current levels until March and added other provisions such as aid for disaster victims and farmers and an increase in salaries for members of Congress. This plan is under threat as President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk have pushed Republicans not to accept this deal.
Trump pushed Republicans to tackle the debt ceiling issue before taking office, saying that if they didn’t, “he’ll have to fight to the end with the Democrats.”
In a joint statement Wednesday afternoon, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance called on Congress to “pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t deliver results.” [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats do whatever they want.”
ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Sarah Kolinovsky and Lauren Peller contributed to this report.
