America is hours away from shutting down the government as Congress still has to approve annual budget funding for certain departments before the start of the new fiscal year (October 1).

If the House and Senate fail to agree on a new bill that must be signed by President Joe Biden, millions of government workers, including the military, will go without pay.

It could also mean the suspension of museums, national parks, research institutions and medical centers funded by the national government.

Is this possible?

On Saturday, Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House would vote on the temporary funding bill.

The last-minute spending scramble will need Democratic votes, angering those who wanted to pass the bill without their support.

Even if the House passes the bill, the Senate (with a majority of Democrats) may not have enough time to vote on the bill and for Biden to sign it in time.

The move will test McCarthy’s slim majority (221-212), where hardline conservatives have opposed the idea, and could cost McCarthy his job.

How did it come to this?

The House and Senate are divided on what to spend some of their nearly $6 trillion budget on, and McCarthy has said he opposes $6 billion in aid to Ukraine.

House Republican infighting pushes US into fourth partial shutdown in 10 years

Which departments will be closed?

Government agencies have already drawn up detailed plans that indicate which services to continue, such as airport screening and border patrol, and which to close: scientific research and food aid for seven million poor mothers.

Most of the more than four million government employees will not be paid, whether they are working or not.

The impact will also affect millions of Americans who rely on public assistance. They will also experience delays in some services.

Has this happened before?

The US has a history of government shutdowns. There were several in the 1980s and 1990s – this will be the fourth in the decade.

The most recent shutdown in 2018-19 was caused by Donald Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to build the Mexican wall.

How long will this outage last?

The resolution may take days or even weeks. A prolonged shutdown could also affect the U.S. food assistance program, which serves 40 million low-income Americans, and affect the implementation of a new

schemes to provide free breakfasts and lunches to students in high-need school districts.