As the US government entered a shutdown after Congress failed to agree on funding for the new fiscal year, the US Embassy in India on Wednesday announced that its social media account on X will "not be updated regularly" because of the lapse in appropriations.
Taking to X, the US Embassy in India stated, "Because of the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information."
The post, however, mentions "urgent safety and security information" as an exception to this.
"At this time, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits. We will not update this account until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information. For information on our services and operating status," it added on X.
The US Embassy in Sri Lanka posted a similar message on its X handle.
US government shutdown
The US government has shutdown for the first time in nearly seven years. The shutdown comes after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a deal to keep the federal government funded.
Lawmakers were unable to pass either the 12 appropriations bills necessary to fund federal operations for a full year or a short-term continuing resolution to maintain current funding while negotiations continued. Congressional Democrats refused to support a Republican funding package unless they won a series of concessions centered on healthcare.
Every year, the Congress is required to approve spending bill by October 1, the start of the US fiscal year. This is mandatory to fund government department and federal agencies. This year, however, no appropriations bills were passed before the deadline.
Last US government shutdown occurred in December 2018 that lasted for 35 days.
Impact of US government shutdown
During a shutdown, the federal government stops all "non-essential" functions. Some of the most noticeable closures and slowdowns include visa services, passport services, federal agencies like NASA, Department of Education and national parks among others.
The last shutdown, during Trump’s first term from December 2018 to January 2019, lasted 35 days and caused roughly $3 billion loss in economic activity, with many federal workers struggling to afford childcare or commuting costs.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
