C-SPAN televised on Capitol Hill shows the U.S. Senate vote ahead government shutdown in Washington on Tuesday. Photo by Bridget Erin Craig/UPI
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The federal government shutdown leaves thousands of federal workers without pay, and an array of public facilities, such as Smithsonian museums and national parks, cite the challenges staying open without much staff.
Smithsonian museums announced on their combined website they have funding set aside to stay open until Oct. 6. The situation with national parks, though, is up in the air. If they don't close, visitors would not have adequate protection without adequate staffing.
The Library of Congress, another symbol of Washington, announced it will lock its doors to visitors and cancel all events.
Moreover, congressional offices said, the National Institutes of Health will be unable to see new patients to its research hospital, and the Food and Drug Administration will be unable to process applications for new drugs or medical devices.
