The beginning of this week still has a few people in confusion. This confusion has all been caused by the Government Shutdown. The first U.S. Government Shutdown occurred in 1997, and it lasted for 21 days. Now we forward to October 2013 and see ye another Government Shutdown due to the Republicans failing to pass authorization of Obama Care. This has many people in a panic, and others nervous and confused.
So who exactly is affected by this epidemic and what does it mean for them. Below are 22 things that are currently affecting many Americans.
1. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is not receiving funding to support its annual flu vaccination program. So try to keep your self healthy.
2. Members of the armed forces will have their paychecks put on hold while they continue to work.
3. The Coast Guard will cut back on routine patrols and navigation assistance for those who have trouble while on the water.
4.Families of soldiers who are killed in action will have their death benefits delayed.
5. Applications for gun permits will most likely be delayed due to furloughs at the Bureau of Alchol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
6. The processing of passport and visa applications will be delayed at the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs. So those who do not have a passport but are planning on leaving the Country soon, may have to put their trip on hold for awhile.
7. National parks will be closed. There are 400 plus national parks around the Country, and they will all be closed. People who are temporarily or permanently living in them will have to relocate for the time being.
8. Due to a decline in staff, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will be processing and approving applications at a slower pace.
9. The Department of Homeland Security's e-Verify program will be offline, which will cause problems with employment verification.
10. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the USDA will not guarantee new loans.
11. The majority of Government funded museums will be closed. This includes all Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington D.C.
12. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be closed. This means no pesticide regulation.
13. The Department of Veterans Affairs said that it will run out of funding for regular payment checks after a few weeks.
14. The USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC) will no longer issue payments to needy families.
15. The Department of Transportation (DOT) said that routine defects and recall information from manufacturers and consumers will not be reviewed.
16. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will reduce staff by 50 percent.
17. There will be no energy assistance, which means that if the shutdown continues through the winter people without heat will have trouble receiving assistance from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
18. There will be reduced consumer protection due to the Futures Trading Commission (FTC) staff reduction. They will only be able to maintain the bare minimum level of oversight and surveillance to stop fraudulent practices.
19. There will be no tax services. The IRS will be shutting down its tax hotline, and will stop processing tax payments.
20. Students applying for Pell grants and student loans will experience delays from the Department of Education due to college funding cutbacks.
21. Financial assistance for needy families will be discontinued due to reduced welfare assistance; however, some states may help out.
22. The Pre-Kindergarten child development program will stop giving out new grants.
Source: Black News
