Government shutdown 101: What would a shutdown mean for you?
If the budget impasse causes the government to shut down after Friday, many ordinary Americans would feel it. Some services deemed 'essential,' though, would continue amid a government shutdown.
By Mark Trumbull
The phrase "government shutdown" sounds serious, and it is. If congressional leaders and President Obama can't reach a budget deal soon for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, many federal operations could grind to a halt. But it wouldn't be a total shutdown of the government. Many services – from Social Security checks to national defense – would continue largely uninterrupted. As the clock ticks down, with Congress's current funding resolution running out at midnight on April 8, here's a guide to what the shutdown might mean for ordinary Americans...[continued]
Government shutdown 101: What does it mean for veterans?
The Department of Veterans Affairs learned its lessons in the government shutdown of 1995. For that reason, disruptions to veterans would be minimal if the government shuts down.
By Anna Mulrine
For US military veterans warily eying the possibility of a government shutdown and wondering how it will impact their care, Department of Veterans Affairs officials say former service members will see no change in their health benefits – including those involving hospital visits and other doctors’ appointments – in the event that Congress fails to pass a budget...[continued]
Government shutdown 101: Will I still have to file my taxes?
A government shutdown would not mean that Tax Day 2011 changes. The April 18 deadline would remain in place, though some things at the IRS might move slower.
By Mark Trumbull
If a government shutdown happens this week, it would happen at an awkward time for American taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service. Tax returns, after all, are due from millions of Americans in little more than a week. Government shutdowns have happened before, but this time it's occurring during peak tax-filing season...[continued]
