A government shutdown starting Tuesday, Oct. 1, now seems virtually certain. The House and Senate still can't agree on a bill to fund the government, and time has run out.
So... it's shutdown time. Let's take a look at how this will work.
Not all government functions will simply evaporate come Oct. 1 — Social Security checks would still get mailed, and veterans' hospitals would stay open. But many federal agencies would shut their doors and send their employees home, from the Environmental Protection Agency to hundreds of national parks.
Here's a look at how a shutdown would work, which parts of the government would close, and which parts of the economy might be affected.
