Why is the US government on the brink of a shutdown? What will it mean? | Government News

The United States government will shut down on Wednesday if Democrats and Republicans in Congress cannot reach an agreement on a vital funding bill.

The shutdown could temporarily halt some US government services and put the salaries of government employees on hold – or even end them altogether.

While it has been normal practice to place staff on “furlough” during previous government shutdowns – meaning they are reinstated and receive back…