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The United States government officially shut down after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on a funding proposal before midnight on Wednesday (October 1), NBC News reports.
The Republican Party, which controls both chambers of Congress, needed Democratic support in order to get the 60 votes needed to pass a Senate bill to extend federal funding, however, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a bipartisan bill, with the Senate rejecting each parties' proposal in the final hours prior to the shutdown deadline.
The last U.S. government shutdown took place during President Donald Trump's first term in 2018 and lasted 34 days, extending into early 2019, as the longest in American history. The current shutdown is reported to have no clear path to a resolution as both parties are in a deadlock.
Federal employees will go without pay for the entirety of the shutdown, with an estimated 750,000 furloughed each day, the Congressional Budget Office said via NBC News. Trump and members of Congress will continue to receive their salaries, while essential workers, such as Transportation Security Administration agents, air traffic controllers, federal law enforcement officers and military members will also continue to receive compensation during the shutdown.
The furloughed payments will be paid once the government reopens, however, compensation will reportedly cost taxpayers an estimated $400 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office.