The effects of the US government shutdown are being felt across America as the White House warns federal workers will be fired en masse if Democrats don’t back down.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration has also frozen billions in funds for major New York City projects, widely seen as a tactic to put pressure on New York senator Chuck Schumer, who is leading the Democrats’ effort in the shutdown fight.<\/p>\n
The shutdown, which only applies to government services deemed non-essential, took effect at midnight, local time, after senators failed to pass a spending bill to keep funding government agencies.<\/p>\n
Democrats demanded the bill include healthcare provisions that Republicans refused to pass. They include reversals to Republican cuts, and extensions to existing tax credits for health insurance.<\/p>\n
Republicans said the provisions would reopen the door to funding care for unauthorised migrants.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of thousands of US government workers will not be paid until the shutdown is over.<\/p>\n
Some have been told to stay home; others are required to work without knowing when they will be paid.<\/p>\n
“Lay-offs are imminent,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.<\/p>\n
Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the shutdown. (Reuters: Nathan Howard)<\/p>\n
Many of the most visible early impacts of the shutdown hit tourist sites.<\/p>\n
National attractions like the Library of Congress, US Botanic Garden and Liberty Bell have closed, and Washington’s Smithsonian museums are set to shut next week.<\/p>\n
National parks are “generally” being kept open, but almost 10,000 park workers are furloughed so many visitor services have stopped.<\/p>\n
Other government activities that have been suspended include:<\/p>\n
accepting new patients at the NIH Clinical Centre, America’s largest health research hospitalinspecting food and pharmaceutical production facilitiesprogressing or issuing new defence contractspublic health communications from the Centers for Disease Controlresearch and analysis of economic data<\/p>\n
So far, services such as healthcare, law enforcement, border control, public education and postal deliveries are relatively unaffected.<\/p>\n
Members of the military will remain at their posts, and National Guard troops deployed to several cities for a “crime crackdown” have also been told to keep working.<\/p>\n