The federal government narrowly avoided a partial shutdown as the House approved a short-term spending bill to fund the government until March 14. President Biden is expected to sign the measure, with the Senate passing it just past the deadline. The House rejected previous proposals from President Trump and Elon Musk, putting together a new plan to prevent a shutdown.
A shutdown would have impacted holiday travel, with essential federal employees working without pay, potentially causing delays at airports. National parks would likely close, affecting millions of visitors. The Postal Service and Social Security benefits would continue operating as separate systems. Veteran health care services would remain open, but VA benefits offices would close. Military personnel could see impacts, with civilian personnel being furloughed.
In previous government shutdowns, the U.S. travel economy suffered losses of $1 billion per week, while the overall economy lost $11 billion during holiday shutdowns. The potential shutdown also posed challenges for air travel during the holiday season, impacting Americans flying to visit their families. It is a relief that an agreement was reached in time to avoid any disruption to these vital services.
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