From longer lines at airport security to closed national parks, a US government shutdown has real world impacts far beyond Washington.
The four-week shutdown in 2018-19 — the longest ever — showed the cascading affect of cuts. Visitors to parks that remained open were asked to take away their own rubbish and toilet paper, and illegal camping created the need for costly clean-ups after funding was restored.
Federal workers deemed essential are required to work, even if that means turning up with no pay, while thousands of others are sent home.
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But essential sectors can still be affected — previous shutdowns have seen increasing numbers of staff calling in sick, sometimes because they are working elsewhere for cash.
