On December 22, 2018 The U.S. government was forced to shut down when Congress and the White House couldn’t agree on government spendings, and ran out of funds to keep government services operating.
This was the longest government shutdown in the history of the U.S since 1995. It is also the 21st shut down since 1976 when the government adopted new budgeting procedures. This recent shutdown lasted 35 days, but could go back into effect in just three weeks.
In order to re-open the government, President Donald Trump claims he requires 5.7 billion dollars for a wall or physical barrier for security of the Southern Border. He insists that it’s needed and vowed to not open the government until he got the funding. He has even considered calling a National Emergency because if no solution could be reached on funding the wall.
“ I definitely do not agree with the government shutdown. Just because of the reasoning for it. It does not make any sense it is entirely illogical because we are calling an emergency for something that has existed for so long and something that isn’t actually harming the people that live in america regardless of their citizenship status. I also think that it harms the people that live here as well because their not getting paid, they don’t have the resources they need and were not focusing on the actual threats,” Angelique Prater ‘20 said.
About 800,000 workers were left either without work or expected to work without pay during the shutdown. TSA Agents, the Coast Guard, and prison security guards, to name a few, were forced to work without pay and missed two paychecks.
On January 25th, 2019 President Donald Trump signed the bill to reopen the government. The White House and congress leaders came to an agreement to reopen the government through February 15th. This agreement did not contain any money to fund building the wall. Through the next three weeks that lead to the 15th it will be spent negotiating a solution to properly secure the southern border.
“If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!” President Donald Trump Tweeted via Twitter.
If congressional leaders don’t find a solution to this matter the government shutdown may go back into full effect. This time it could even be for a longer period of time until there is a solution to the $5.7 billion the President has requested for border security, meaning thousands of Americans could possibly loose their jobs or be expected to work without pay for longer than two pay periods this time.
