The government shutting down gives the impression of a catastrophic event and can strike worry into people across the country. However, after coming out of a 35 day government shutdown, not much has changed for the average American which begs the question, what exactly does a shutdown entail? Let's begin with why they start.
The government is constantly passing bills to allocate funds to the different departments that fall under it, such as the FDA, ICE, TSA, and many more. Since these budgets have to be passed with votes in congress, and then passed on to the president for approval or veto, sometimes there is disagreement on how the money should be spent. When congress is split on an idea or the president vetoes the budget we then begin a shutdown until a budget is approved.
During this time, federal employees deemed 'nonessential' (national parks, IRS, food inspection) are not required to report to work and do not receive pay while other vital parts of the government (congress, senate, police, FBI, TSA, etc.) remain open, however pay may be withheld for some workers despite being required to work. Bills can be passed during the shutdown to prevent certain consequences. For example, earlier this month a bill was floored to pay federal workers during the shutdown but was met with rejection from Democrats. Additionally, it was stated by the White House that the IRS will remain open and returns should go out on time.
When a budget is agreed upon the government will resume normal functionality until the next budget needs to be passed. The December 2018 - January 2019 shutdown is unique, however. When President Trump announced the end of the shutdown it came with the caveat that it will only remain open for 3 weeks, giving time for congress to come up with a budget for border security that includes a wall.
It is worth mentioning that although furloughed workers do not get paid during the shutdown, upon reopening, the government pays the workers all of the wages they had missed during the shutdown during a process known as back pay.
It is unclear going forward what the plan for the upcoming 3 weeks is. If no budget is passed that includes a wall, it is likely the government will shutdown again and President Trump will use the National Emergencies Act of 1976 to call on the National Guard to build the wall and end the shutdown. Although vaguely worded, the National Emergencies Act does state that congress can veto this declaration, but only if a joint resolution is formed, which is unlikely with a split congress.
Unfortunately the nature of shutdowns is unpredictable as we rely on those in Washington to make hard decisions quickly and it is nearly impossible to predict what will happen next. However, it can only help to stay informed on the intricacies of our Government as we move into more confusing times.