Some Congressional Democrats are willing to shut down the federal government in March over the Trump administration’s dismantling of government programs and agencies. The current government funding expires on March 14, and to avoid a shutdown, Congress will need to pass new spending legislation or extend the current funding levels. In the past, Republicans have needed Democratic support to pass funding extensions, but some Democrats are no longer willing to provide that support.
Democrats argue that the administration’s actions, such as dismantling government agencies and disregarding congressional spending directives, are unconstitutional. They believe that shutting down the government may be necessary to hold the administration accountable for its actions. With Republicans controlling the House by a slim margin and the Senate as well, Democrats have some leverage to push for their spending priorities to be implemented.
If a government shutdown were to occur, non-essential government functions would be put on hold, and non-essential workers would be furloughed without pay. This could lead to disruptions in services such as food safety inspections, loan issuances, and passport and visa services. Essential functions like air traffic control, law enforcement, and Social Security payments would continue as usual. Democrats argue that the responsibility for a government shutdown would fall on Republicans, as they control both chambers of Congress.
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